On Tuesday, July 14, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors will vote whether or not to endorse the county transportation staff’s recommended Route 28 bypass project location – Alternative 2B.
Alternative 2B will extend Godwin Drive to existing Route 28 just south of Compton Road at the Fairfax County border and requires the condemnation of at least 50 single-family homes. In addition to the $89 million in Northern Virginia Transportation Authority funding already allocated, this project will also require the Board of County Supervisors to commit $200 million in bond funding in the near future which will require the Board to pay off this bond with some form of increased tax.
The purpose and need developed for this project to support the recommended alternative 2B goes against the three strategic outcomes of the Prince William County Mobility Strategic Plan:
- Decrease percentage of residents commuting out of the county
- Decrease congestion and travel time
- Increase the use of trains, buses, vanpools, slugging, telecommuting, and other single occupancy vehicle alternatives to get to work
Alternative 2B
- Promotes SOV travel to jobs outside of the county
- Includes zero transit service or transit infrastructure
- Will bring in vehicles that currently use 234 Business/Sudley Rd and 234 Bypass to access I-66, thus increasing congestion.
An alternative recommendation is to work with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority to reallocate the $89 million to fund the VDOT Centreville Road STARS study recommendations and invest in commuter bus transit and bike/pedestrian infrastructure in the corridor.
In addition, the county should start the Yorkshire Small Area Plan to gain a better understanding of the needs of the community in this area of the county.
The funded investments in the Route 28 Widening in Centreville and the transformation of I-66 that are set to complete in 2022 along with the alternative recommendation is enough to improve the corridor for all users. The newly-elected members of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors need to use this project to start the process of reevaluating the transportation policy in the county as it updates its strategic and comprehensive plans.
The Route 28 Bypass is a bad investment for Prince William County taxpayers.
Mark Scheufler
Prince William County resident
