STAFFORD, Va. – Stafford County leaders are preparing to take a major step toward easing long-standing regional traffic woes.
The Board of Supervisors signaled support for Option C in the Rappahannock River Crossing Bridge Project—a plan to construct a new bridge west of Interstate 95. A final vote is scheduled for today, June 3, during the 5 p.m. county Board of Supervisors meeting. It could set the tone for regional collaboration with the City of Fredericksburg, a critical partner in the project.
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“We literally just fell under that care,” said one Stafford representative during the FAMPO Policy Committee meeting on May 19. “Stafford's ridership still did go up, but everybody else went up just slightly more. And they have a point-on count. So that point-on count, that one day, is what they pay everything.”
The ridership survey determines VRE board representation and revealed Stafford fell short of the threshold needed to maintain two seats. Frustration among committee members was evident.
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During the May 19, 2025, meeting of the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) Policy Committee, Executive Director Ian Ollis and his team unveiled two preferred alignments—Options A and C—that they believe offer the most viable pathways for a long-debated new bridge linking Stafford County and the City of Fredericksburg.
The corridor options are the result of more than three years of planning work, which included public engagement, environmental screening, and traffic data modeling conducted as part of a broader East-West Mobility Study.
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The Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC), a panel advising the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO), voted 9-4 in favor of a new option, informally dubbed “CTAC Option C.” The route would use Celebrate Virginia Parkway in Stafford County and cross the river where one of the previously studied alternatives—Option D—was proposed.
During a presentation at the April 21 FAMPO Policy Committee meeting, CTAC member Al Watkins said the new route was the result of “many, many, many hours” of analysis by committee members. The preferred alternative aims to reduce environmental impacts, minimize new road construction, and improve regional traffic flow between Stafford County and the City of Fredericksburg.
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While Stafford officials champion a north-south corridor west of I-95, officials in Fredericksburg remain focused on a new river crossing, though disagreements persist over its location, cost, and environmental impact.
Stafford Advances Western Road Network Proposal
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Press Release:
FAMPO’s River Crossing Parkway Study Survey is now open until January 3rd, 2025! If you drive, walk, or roll in the Fredericksburg region, you can make an impact on how transportation develops by providing feedback during public comment periods. You are invited to provide feedback on the River Crossing Parkway Study by completing our online survey. To view the presentation boards used during our November 20th River Crossing Study Public Meeting, please click here.
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Fredericksburg officials used map boards and statistics to present potential plans for another bridge across the Rappahannock River at a public meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
The meeting was held in the party room at the Fredericksburg Nationals’ stadium, near the bridge that could someday connect Gordon Shelton Boulevard in Fredericksburg to Route 17 in Stafford County, not far from I-95 and Central Park.
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Press release:
Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) is working towards an eventual National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) certification for a river crossing bridge and parkway west of I-95, across the Rappahannock River. This new crossing would provide direct access between Stafford County and the City of Fredericksburg West of I-95 and help offer a more reliable transportation network, including more north/south routes for local traffic and additional routes for emergency responders, transit, and bicycle/pedestrian users, while reducing everyday reliance of trips accessing the I-95 corridor.
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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.
Virginia has purchased 50% of the rail right-of-way, particularly the eastern half, where most stations are located. The third track will be constructed in sections, tying in with the new Long Bridge over the Potomac River. Ollis detailed the project’s progress, noting that it will be built in pieces through Stafford County toward Quantico.
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Stafford County Supervisor Crystal Vanuch, recognizing the crucial role of the Fredericksburg Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) in transportation planning, recently reached out seeking data on the teleworking trends among Federal Government employees.
This inquiry, driven by the concern that a significant portion of Virginia Railway Express (VRE) riders are federal employees, underscores the potential impact of a recall to in-person office work on peak-hour traffic congestion along Interstate 95.
