WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Nearly six months after the grand opening of Prince William County’s first commuter parking garage, new data shows the facility is being used far below capacity while operating costs continue to climb, renewing questions raised even before construction began.

The Neabsco-Potomac Mills Commuter Garage, a $53.5 million project located near Opitz Boulevard and Interstate 95, officially opened in November 2024. Since then, the county has spent $186,016 on operational expenses, according to recently released county records. The seven-story facility features 1,400 parking spaces, resulting in a construction cost of $38,214 per space.

Cost Breakdown

Records from Prince William County show:

• Electricity (Aug 2024 – May 2025): $21,508
• Water (Sept 2024 – May 2025): $558 (only one month of recorded usage)
• General maintenance work orders: $101,645
• Custodial services (since Dec): $20,459
• Groundskeeping and cleanup: $17,654
• Security guard services: $13,997
• Estimated snow removal: $10,000
• Porta-john rental: $195

Garage Usage Still Low

Despite being fully operational, usage of the garage remains modest.

• November 2024: 187 visits
• April 2025 (peak month): 4,902 visits
• May 2025: 4,488 visits

Assuming one visit equals one space used per day and accounting for 30 days per month, the April utilization rate is only about 11.7% (4,902 of 42,000 possible daily space uses). Average parking durations have increased over time—from 1 hour, 55 minutes in November to 5 hours, 40 minutes in May—indicating the garage is primarily used by long-term parkers such as commuters.

The third floor is the most heavily used, registering over 2,300 visits in May and average parking durations exceeding 9 hours. The usage of the ground, fourth, and fifth floors has also increased, although it is far from being complete.

OmniRide Relocates to Garage

In December 2024, one month after the garage opened, OmniRide officially relocated its eastern transfer hub to the Neabsco facility. The move included rerouting several Express, Metro Express, and Local bus routes to begin and end service at the garage. Previously, these routes served the OmniRide Transit Center at 14700 Potomac Mills Road.

This relocation was part of a significant service overhaul aimed at creating a true multimodal hub with seamless connections to the nearby I-95 Express Lanes, which now feature a dedicated ramp at Opitz Boulevard. The strategy, according to transportation planners, is designed to support long-term growth and reduce single-occupancy vehicle traffic.

Early Warnings Realized?

The data appears to validate concerns raised during the project’s approval phase.

In September 2022, when the Board of County Supervisors approved the final design, Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega cast the lone dissenting vote. She pointed to a Virginia Department of Transportation study showing nearby commuter lots were only 20% full, questioning the financial wisdom of constructing a massive parking structure.

“Help me understand how this makes good fiscal sense,” Vega said during the meeting, addressing Transportation Director Rick Canizales.

At the time, officials stated that abandoning the federally funded project would result in financial penalties and the forfeiture of funding. Canizales defended the garage as a forward-looking investment, noting the county was already under contract with a construction firm and that future transit usage was expected to grow.

County Officials Offer No New Comments

Potomac Local News contacted all members of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors for comment on the garage’s current usage and cost. None responded, except for Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey, who replied via email with a brief “No comment.”

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WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Drivers planning to use the Interstate 95 and 395 E-ZPass Express Lanes on Independence Day should be aware of a modified reversal schedule designed to accommodate holiday traffic headed to the nation’s capital.

On Friday, July 4, 2025, the toll lanes will remain in northbound operation until approximately 7 p.m. to support increased traffic traveling into Washington, D.C., for fireworks and other celebrations. The lanes are expected to reopen southbound by around 8:30 p.m. to assist with the return flow of holiday travelers.

The normal summer reversal schedule will resume on Saturday, July 5, with northbound travel in the morning and southbound travel beginning around midday.

The Interstate 95 and 395 E-ZPass Express Lanes are reversible toll lanes designed to relieve congestion on two of Northern Virginia’s most heavily traveled corridors. Spanning over 40 miles from the D.C. line to Fredericksburg, the lanes operate under a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Transurban, which manages tolling and maintenance.

The lanes use dynamic pricing, which means toll rates fluctuate based on real-time traffic conditions to ensure consistent speeds. Vehicles must have an E-ZPass transponder to use the lanes, and those with three or more occupants can travel toll-free with an E-ZPass Flex set to “HOV ON.”

On most days, the Express Lanes operate northbound in the morning to accommodate commuter traffic heading into Washington, D.C., and southbound in the afternoon and evening to handle the outbound rush. However, the schedule can change on holidays and weekends to meet shifting travel patterns.

Motorists are encouraged to check expresslanes.com or use the Express Lanes mobile app for real-time traffic updates, toll rates, and access point information.

As federal employees return to the office more significantly, the George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) has observed a substantial increase in commuting interest. Potomac Local News spoke with Kerry McKenney of GWRC and reviewed recent reports highlighting the demand for ridesharing services in the region.

Surge in Commuting Demand

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Here’s the latest update on roadwork and lane closures in Stafford County, Spotsylvania County, and Fredericksburg. All projects are weather-permitting, and up-to-date information is available at 511.VDOT.Virginia.Gov.

Stafford County

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Press Release:

Transurban North America, operator of the 95, 395, and 495 Express Lanes, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Virginia State Police (VSP) are partnering to launch an innovative defensive driving safety campaign targeted to motorists traveling along interstates 95, 395, and 495.

The campaign uses messaging that urges motorists to drive defensively due to the hazards posed by other travelers’ unsafe behavior, such as speeding, texting, and aggressive driving. The partnership is using results from an initial pilot campaign initiative aimed at Express Lanes users on I-95 and I-495, which showed that positive changes in motorists’ behavior can be achieved through communicating the risk of other drivers’ actions.

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Drivers are advised of upcoming overnight lanes and full closures on the 95 Express Lanes to facilitate the completion of the Opitz Boulevard Project in Woodbridge. Closures are scheduled for Monday, November 4, Wednesday, November 6, and Thursday, November 7.

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From Transurban, operator of the Interstate 95 E-ZPass Express Lanes:

Please be advised the 95/395 Express Lanes will begin overnight reversal the night of October 30 / the morning of October 31, 2024, an hour early at 12 midnight instead of 1 a.m.

The change enables work on the Opitz Boulevard Project.

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On Labor Day, September 2, 2024, the 95 Express Lanes will operate northbound all day, with the regular reversal schedule resuming on Tuesday, September 3, including the end of the summer schedule and the start of the regular reversal times.

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A man was struck and killed on the Interstate 95 E-ZPass Express Lanes this morning in Lake Ridge.

At 6:17 a.m. Tuesday (July 9, 2024), Virginia State Police responded to a crash on Interstate 95 Express Lanes at the 160 mile marker in Prince William County. At this stage of the investigation, it appears an SUV traveling north in the Express Lanes pulled off onto the right shoulder due to mechanical issues. Both the driver and a passenger exited the vehicle when a Ford F-150 pickup truck veered onto the shoulder and struck the male passenger/pedestrian and the disabled SUV. The driver of the SUV and the Ford were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The passenger of the SUV died at the scene. State police is still in the process of notifying next of kin. The crash remains under investigation and charges are pending.

Transurban has announced the 95/395 Express Lanes will have a revised reversal schedule on Thursday, July 4, 2024 to accommodate travelers attending the Independence Day fireworks display.

The lanes will be open northbound all day until 7 p.m. when reversal begins. The Lanes are expected to open southbound by 8:30 p.m.

The National Park Service has announced Independence Day activities will begin at 11:45 a.m. and continue throughout the day, culminating in the annual "Fireworks on the National Mall" program. Fireworks are scheduled for 9:09-9:27 p.m.