Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) will visit the site of a recent train derailment in Fredericksburg on August 14, 2024. The visit will occur from 8 to 9 a.m. at the VRE parking lot, specifically at the gravel lot behind VRE parking lots G & H. The entrance to the lot is located at the corner of Prince Edward and Frederick Street. Spanberger will then travel to the Railway Yard Gate at 1400 Railroad Avenue. Members of the Fredericksburg City Council are expected to attend.

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A new ramp from Opitz Boulevard to the Interstate 95 E-ZPass Express Lanes is scheduled to open in November, following a delay from the initially planned summer 2024 opening. Transurban, the Australia-based company that operates the Express Lanes, announced the delay earlier this summer in an update provided to stakeholders.

“The fall 2024 opening date for the 95 Express Lanes Opitz Boulevard ramp was communicated to stakeholders in an update sent earlier this summer and reflects the contractor’s current schedule,” said Jacqueline Woodbridge, a spokeswoman for Transurban. She noted that the delay resulted from a shift in the contractor’s schedule, which can be affected by various factors, including weather conditions.

Potomac Local News has received emails from frustrated drivers who live near the work zone.

I reside nearby the project being built that will connect Opitz boulevard to the I-95 express lane boondoggle. I am not happy to learn that this ramp which was originally supposed to open in July is now supposed to open in November.

I am sick and tired of the disruption and the lack of transparency and the delays. My neighbors are as well.

Woodbridge acknowledged the frustration caused by construction-related congestion and delays but emphasized the new ramp’s benefits. “We are looking forward to providing faster, more reliable trips on the Express Lanes for southern Prince William County this November,” she said.

The Opitz Boulevard ramp is part of ongoing efforts to enhance the transportation infrastructure in the area. We’ve been reporting on a $53 million parking garage set to open near the new ramp behind Wegmans grocery store at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center. The garage opening is also delayed but is now slated to occur in October.

The 1,400-parking-space garage will become a transit hub for eastern Prince William County. OmniRide will shift its bus operations from its nearby headquarters on Telegraph Road to the garage, and riders will use the garage instead of the transit center’s headquarters building as a transfer point.

From the latest Transurban shareholder report:

North America Toll Revenue and Infrastructure Developments

In FY24, North America’s toll revenue showed significant growth, increasing by 8.7% to $252 million. Traffic across the region also rose by 5.5%, contributing to this revenue growth. The EBITDA margin for the North American market reached 66.9%.

Greater Washington Area Infrastructure Updates

Several key infrastructure projects were highlighted in the Greater Washington Area:

Fredericksburg Extension: The construction of the Fredericksburg Extension was completed, following the opening of the roadway in August 2023. Additional access points are set to open in December 2023. This project extended the two-lane reversible facility by approximately 16 kilometers, making the 95 Express Lanes the longest reversible road in the United States.

495 NEXT Project: Construction activity on the 495 NEXT project has intensified, with work on roadways, bridges, and walls now 50% complete. The project is scheduled for completion and opening in December 2025.

Opitz Boulevard Project: This project is expected to open in November 2024. It will provide Express Lanes access to residential and commercial areas, as well as to a major hospital and medical center.

Bi-Directional Travel on 95 Express Lanes: Discussions with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) are ongoing regarding the addition of bi-directional travel on a segment of the 95 Express Lanes. Design planning for this initiative is currently underway.

Greater Montreal Area Highlights

Electric Vehicle Traffic: Electric vehicle traffic in the Greater Montreal Area increased from 11.7% to 15.6% of total traffic. The Quebec government has extended the free toll program for electric vehicles until April 2027.

Community Contributions

The company made its fifth annual contribution to the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s Commuter Choice Program, bringing total investments in transit projects to nearly $80 million. These investments have supported the development of bus lines, park-and-ride lots, and commuter rail improvements throughout the 95 Express Lanes corridor.

Future Market Opportunities

Looking ahead, the company is assessing several market opportunities:

Bi-Directional Travel on 95 Express Lanes: Feasibility assessments are ongoing for adding bi-directional travel on a segment of the 95 Express Lanes. Currently, the lanes operate northbound in the morning and southbound in the evening on weekdays.

495 Express Lanes Southern Extension: VDOT is evaluating the 495 Express Lanes Southern Extension, with the environmental analysis expected to conclude by late 2024. A Federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) decision is anticipated by then, with potential inclusion in the region’s transportation plan by late 2025.

At 3:20 p.m., a black pickup truck flipped over the guardrail on Interstate 95 South at milepost 143, near Garrisonville Road in Stafford County.

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The Fredericksburg Metropolitan Area Planning Organization is educating residents about a major project to expand rail capacity in Fredericksburg and Stafford County by adding a third railroad track. The project involves replacing several bridges, including the Leeland Road Bridge, to accommodate the new track, which will affect local traffic.

Ian Ollis, the organization's director, explained the scope of the project. "It's one main project that seeks to replace a bridge over the rail line. The reason for that is the need to put a third rail track from Union Station in D.C. down to our region," Ollis said.

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The Van Buren Road project in Prince William County has received approval from the Board of Supervisors. The project will build a four-lane road with a sidewalk on one side and a pedestrian path on the other, connecting Dumfries Road to Cardinal Drive, aiming to address traffic congestion and improve mobility in the area.

Mary Ankers of the Prince William County Public Works office presented the project, stating, "It will provide some congestion relief, enhanced mobility, include pedestrian facilities, and improve safety."

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The Quantico Train Station’s new construction will be completed by early 2025 and will feature a pedestrian bridge and extended platforms to improve transit efficiency and safety for the 6,000 daily passengers.

Press release

The Quantico Train Station’s new construction is scheduled to be completed before the start of 2025, improving the transit efficiency and commuter experience for the 6,000 daily passengers who use and pass through the station.

The improvements include a pedestrian bridge that sits above the tracks, leading pedestrians to all three platforms, which are also to be extended.
“It will be nice when they get it all done, and we don’t have to wait anymore at the crosswalk for trains coming through,” said George Ramsey, a MCCS Quantico Marine Corps Community Services employee on MCBQ and frequent train passenger. “There are many, many, many times I remember getting stuck on one side or the other because of a train you weren’t expecting to come through while waiting for a train.”

Virginia Railway Express Chief Engineer Dallas Richards explained many of its new features and how it will improve the safety for commuters and pedestrians.
“The bridge includes three staircases and three elevators which will help commuters get to all three platforms safely,” said Richards, and emphasized that “both extended platforms will allow commuters to board and deboard all eight passenger cars at the same time, which will be much safer and efficient.”
The project will also add a third track, improving the fluidity between the different organizations.

Originally built in 1953, the Quantico Train Station was totally renovated by the VRE in April of 2005, and these new renovations mark the largest change to alleviate commuter congestion.

“The third track reduces delays and will give VRE, Amtrak and freight rail, the capability of using all three tracks to limit congestion,” said Brett Sanders, the CSX lead engineer.

From the start, he mentioned, the success of the project couldn’t have happened without everyone working together.

Learning Lane will close for emergency storm water pipe repairs beginning August 16, 2024. The detour route will direct drivers southbound on Patriot Highway (US 1), turning left onto Harrison Road, left onto Lafayette Boulevard, left onto Hotchkiss Street, right onto Rose Avenue, and left onto Pender Street to reach Learning Lane.

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Three men, including two wanted suspects, were apprehended following a high-speed chase that started and ended near Centreport Parkway, involving maneuvers by deputies and state police to stop and capture the suspects. The pursuit involved a series of events, including a vehicle being pushed off the road, deputies sustaining injuries, and foot chases leading to the capture and arrest of all suspects on various charges, highlighting effective coordination among law enforcement agencies.

Three men, two of which were wanted, were found and captured after a pursuit that started and ended in the area of Centreport Parkway. On July 23rd at approximately 5:36 p.m. First Sergeant A.I. Assur was on Kings Highway when he observed a wanted suspect in a black Honda Civic. Unable to conduct a traffic stop at the time, First Sergeant Assur broadcasted the vehicle description to nearby deputies, as well as, the Virginia State Police. Moments later, the vehicle was spotted by deputies traveling Northbound on Richmond Highway in the area of Centreport Parkway. Deputy J.W. McAlister activated his emergency equipment in an attempt to conduct a high-risk stop; however, the driver fled at a high rate of speed onto Northbound I-95 while failing to maintain the lane of travel. Additional deputies, with the assistance of Virginia State Police, pursued the vehicle as it traveled Northbound I-95, exited Westbound onto Courthouse Road, before getting onto Southbound I-95 back towards Centreport Parkway. When the suspect vehicle got off I-95 and began traveling Eastbound on Centrport Parkway, Deputy McAlister, who is P.I.T. certified, made intentional vehicle contact. This was successful and pushed the vehicle off the roadway, up an embankment, and ended the vehicle pursuit. As a result of the crash, one deputy sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to a nearby hospital out of abundance of caution. All three occupants within the suspect vehicle took off on foot. The driver fled across the I-95 Northbound ramp and up an embankment. Deputy B.E. Vaughn quickly exited his vehicle and gave chase. The driver had difficulty running up the embankment and was easily apprehended by Deputy Vaughn. The driver had pinpoint pupils, slurred speech, and was unsteady on his feet. Due to these signs of intoxication, Deputy D.S. Jett, a Drug Recognition Expert, conducted field sobriety tests. Furthermore, Deputy Jett, who is also a certified phlebotomist, collected the driver’s blood for testing. DUI charges are pending those results. During his fleeing attempt, the driver would discard a bottle containing suspected controlled substances. The second occupant, identified as the back passenger, ran across Centreport Parkway towards the Northbound I-95 off ramp. While doing so, he passed directly in front of Deputy B.W. Gildea, who quickly exited his vehicle and gave chase. He was able to apprehend the suspect without further incident. The suspect was discovered to be wanted by the U.S. Marshals. The third occupant, identified as the front passenger, ran into the nearby woods as Sergeant B.U. Demirci gave chase. While Sergeant Demirci lost sight of the suspect, he did locate the suspect’s shoes he left behind during his fleeing attempt. Deputy F.A. Martinez deployed his K-9 partner, Mija, and began tracking the suspect from the shoe’s location. Mija led deputies right to the suspect, who once again began fleeing on foot. Luckily, members of the SWAT team finished an operation just prior to the pursuit and assisted in establishing a perimeter. When the suspect fled from Mija, he ran directly towards the waiting deputies along the perimeter and was taken into custody without further incident. The driver, Nicholas Morales, 28, of Woodbridge, was charged with felony eluding, driving while revoked, felony hit and run, eluding police on foot, obstruction of justice, littering, possession of controlled substances, reckless driving, and failure to maintain his lane. He was wanted out of Prince William County for felony eluding, reckless driving, driving while revoked, and having an expired registration. He was served on those warrants and held at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond. The back passenger, Ajee Whitter, 30, of Arlington, was charged with felony failure to report a hit and run with injury, and eluding police on foot. He was wanted by the U.S. Marshals for an escape offense. He was served on those warrants and held at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond. The front passenger, Raymond Whalen, 24, of Chantilly, was charged with felony failure to report a hit and run with injury, and eluding police on foot. He was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond. Amazing teamwork to all law enforcement personnel involved. We would like to thank Virginia State Police for their assistance, as well as, members of our SWAT Team who quickly jumped into action. We are praying for a speedy recovery for our injured deputy.

Happening Now: A pursuit on Centreport Parkway has ended and all suspects are detained. One deputy was injured. The road is still closed and the investigation is ongoing. There is no danger to the public and we will release more information when it becomes available. pic.twitter.com/VfWOIPKuQo

— StaffordCoSheriff (@staffcosheriff) July 23, 2024