DUMFRIES — Mayor Derrick Wood said the development of Potomac Shores Parkway “has been a point of contention.”
The six-lane road will intersect Routes 1 and 234 in the town, providing access to the new Potomac Shores neighborhood. However, the road must cut through the Town of Dumfries to grant access.
“Only 10 percent of the project is in Dumfries but it impacts 100% of our residents,” said Wood.
The new intersection is unlike anything in the region, similar to those found in New Jersey where left turns are prohibited.
Potomac Shores developer SunCal said this model will improve traffic flow.
“The design which eliminates all left turns at the intersection of Route 1 and Route 234, was adopted from [the Virginia Department of Transportation’s] long-term improvement plans for the corridor and has been reviewed by VDOT and the county,” said SunCal spokesman Joe Aguirre. “Sophisticated traffic modeling and empirical evidence support that the changes will provide substantial improvement to the flow of traffic and better handle the increased volumes that are expected in the coming decades.”
Wood said that the new road will cut off access to a Dumfries service road.
“They’re going to take away our access to Old Stagecoach Road,” said Wood, “Old Stagecoach road now becomes a cul de sac. It will cul de sac a number of businesses and only give them one access when right now they have two.”
Wood said the town did not approve or have any say in these changes.
“They’re taking over our land and they haven’t even started negotiating the price,” said Wood.
Woods said SunCal is not considering the town as it should for this project.
“The design process for this intersection has been underway since 2012, and the Town has been informed and included throughout the process,” said Aguirre. “In fact, during the period, the town has been included in no less than 10 meetings about the highway project. The county, as the agreed-upon lead agency, circulated the design plans to the involved review agencies, including the Town, several months ago.”
Woods said the project has been delayed because they are waiting for a comment from the Town of Dumfries.
“We’re trying to see where in our records if we ever conceded the project,” said Wood. “We know that there’s only 10 percent in Dumfries, but did we concede our 10 percent to Prince William County managing the project?”
Wood said Old Stagecoach Road is public land owned by the town.
“How are they going to cul de sac a road that belongs to us?” he asked.
Another alternative route may exist for this project. Wood said the private road that runs between Coach House Plaza, home to an Enterprise Rent-A-Car and MVC Couples Boutique, and the adjacent gas station could be an option to consider.
Wood said that Dumfries officials are poised to continue fighting the project.
“You’re trying to build a superhighway that’s going to bypass my businesses and my community,” he said. “We’re not having that.”
