MANASSAS — City leaders Monday approved half a million dollars to improve a major thoroughfare at the Manassas Regional Airport.
The city plans to widen Wakeman Drive and to add pedestrian improvements such as bike lanes. The improvements are designed to make the area more desirable and to attract more business to the area.
The money comes as a local economic development incentive match with Aurora Flight Sciences. In July, the company announced it was acquired by Boeing, and the would invest $13.8 million into the city by creating 135 new jobs with an average salary of $105,000 per employee.
The half-million dollars in Manassas funds are matched by the state, as Virginia agreed to pour another half million dollars in the economic development project.
We don’t yet know when the street improvements to Wakeman Drive will be completed. Aurora has until June 30, 2022, to make good on the promise of 135 new jobs.
The Aurora expansion was announced just prior to news of the $3 billion expansion of Micron also in Manassas. In a $3 billion investment larger than that of Amazon in Arlington — the largest in the state’s history — Micron promises to bring on 1,000 new scientists that will develop chips for self-driving cars.
