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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PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Prince William County leaders are facing mounting pressure to address noise generated by data centers, as residents—many from the Great Oak subdivision—delivered passionate testimony during the Board of County Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, June 10.

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PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Speed cameras are here to stay outside schools and highway work zones in Prince William County.

The Board of County Supervisors voted 7–1 on June 3, 2025, to make permanent the use of automated photo-monitoring systems aimed at catching speeding drivers in high-risk areas. The decision removes a sunset clause from the 2023 pilot program and allows enforcement to continue indefinitely.

County officials say the cameras are working as intended. In monitored zones, the average speed of drivers dropped by 3 to 6 mph—a statistically significant improvement that’s helping protect children and workers on busy roads. There’s also been no increase in crashes where the cameras are in use.

Cameras Already Watching These School Zones

As of now, speed enforcement cameras are operating at the following locations:

• Battlefield High School – Route 15
• Woodbridge High School – Old Bridge Road
• Old Bridge Elementary School – Old Bridge Road
• Fitzgerald Elementary School – Benita Fitzgerald Drive
• Patriot High School – Kettle Run Road
• T. Clay Wood Elementary School – Kettle Run Road

More sites are expected to be announced in the coming months. County staff say all camera locations will be clearly marked with signage.

Here’s What to Expect if You’re Caught Speeding

Drivers going 10 mph or more over the speed limit in an active school or work zone can be fined up to $100. The violation is a civil penalty—it won’t impact your insurance or driving record unless a police officer issues a traditional ticket.

Citations are mailed to the vehicle owner. If someone else was driving, the owner can contest the citation. All images are reviewed and certified by law enforcement before a summons is issued.

Not About the Money, Officials Say

Supervisors backing the measure said the program is about saving lives, not generating revenue.

“This isn’t about the money—it’s about saving a life,” said Supervisor Victor Angry, who also pushed for higher fines. “People run through those red lights… clearly 30 seconds after they’ve turned red.”

Supervisor Kenny Boddye reminded colleagues that the program started after several fatal crashes, especially on Cardinal Drive. “Our officers can’t be everywhere at once,” he said.

Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin, who initially opposed the cameras, said public feedback changed her mind. “They’re happy we’re taking proactive steps,” she said.

Supervisor Andrea Bailey added, “This is our answer… to make sure we’re addressing what’s going on in the community.”

Supervisor Bob Weir was the only vote against the ordinance.

The system is managed by Elovate, formerly Conduent, under a county contract approved in December 2023. The company is paid for its services—not by the number of tickets issued—to avoid any incentive to over-ticket.

All data collected is strictly regulated. It can’t be used for marketing, and all photos must be deleted within 60 days unless a summons has been issued.

While only six school zones currently have cameras, the program allows for expansion. County officials say additional sites will be rolled out, with public notice, in the near future.

“This is about sending a message,” Angry said. “If you’re speeding in our school zones, there will be consequences.”

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Prince William County Supervisors on Tuesday night approved a plan to rezone more than 60 acres of the Manassas Mall property, clearing the way for more than 1,000 new apartments, commercial storefronts, and pedestrian promenades to replace large areas of underused parking lots.

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MANASSAS, Va. – Prince William County leaders will consider a rezoning request on Tuesday, June 3, that could transform the aging Manassas Mall into a new urban-style community with more than 1,000 apartments and tens of thousands of square feet in new commercial space.

A developer is asking to rezone about 60.5 acres surrounding the mall—from General Business (B-1) to Mixed Use District–Urban (MXD-U). The plan includes 1,041 multifamily residential units, around 47,000 square feet of new retail and service space, structured parking, and pedestrian promenades to better connect new buildings with the existing shopping center.

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WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Prince William County is on track to open a 24/7 mental health Crisis Receiving Center (CRC) in October 2025, following a years-long effort to expand behavioral health services and despite an ongoing Medicaid reimbursement challenge that has delayed the project.

Chief Transformation Officer Lisa Madron confirmed the opening during a May 20 presentation to the Board of County Supervisors. The facility in the former Gander Mountain building on Worth Avenue, outside Potomac Mills mall, will feature separate adult and youth units, with 16 23-hour observation units and 16 crisis stabilization beds in each.

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At the April 15 meeting, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors made its final changes to the fiscal year 2026 budget and tax rates.

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Commonwealth's Attorney Amy Ashworth went to the Prince William County Board of Supervisors asking for 24 more staff members in fiscal year 2026, repeating requests from years past.

Ahead of fiscal year 2025, Ashworth similarly requested more staff members despite the Board being reluctant to fund additional positions. In response, Ashworth sent a letter to the Board stating she would withhold prosecution of certain misdemeanor charges if the Board didn't approve her request.

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In the first public meeting between the Board of County Supervisors and Prince William County Schools (PWCS) leadership on April 1, members from each body expressed their concerns over proposed cuts to public schools by President Donald Trump.

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Prince William County could soon see a significant shift in its meals tax policy, as several key members of the Board of County Supervisors support cutting the tax in half and eventually phasing it out.

Board Chair At-large Deshundra Jefferson told Potomac Local News she supports reducing the county’s meals tax from 4% to 2% in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which takes effect July 1, 2025. Jefferson also wants the Board to consider a plan to phase out the tax entirely over the next few years.

“I’ve heard from small restaurant owners who say the tax is hurting their ability to stay in business,” said Jefferson. “With recent federal job cuts hitting our community, small businesses will feel the ripple effect. Cutting the meals tax is a way to ease that financial burden.”

The meals tax, enacted in 2022, is projected to generate $42 million in Fiscal Year 2025—an increase of $10 million over the previous year. Restaurant owners and hospitality workers have consistently voiced opposition, saying the tax inflates prices and cuts into their already-thin margins.

During public comment at the Board’s April 8 meeting, several residents urged supervisors to reconsider the tax.

‘Taxed enough already’

Shannon Patterson, a server at a restaurant in Woodbridge, shared an emotional plea on behalf of workers in the service industry.

“As a server, that tip is my income,” said Patterson. “If an individual has a $20 budget and there’s a meals tax, they’re still going to spend $20—but I get a smaller tip. It’s coming out of our pockets.”

She estimated losing as much as $400 per month in tips due to the tax, calling it “a tax that I didn’t ask for.”

James Rafferty, a 40-year county resident, said the tax “really hurts our county restaurants,” citing the compounding effects of inflation, labor costs, and rising goods prices.

“Lowering the tax back to 0% would be a huge help,” Rafferty said.

Cody Thomas, who works at Electric Palm Restaurant in Woodbridge, echoed those concerns. “It feels like you’re using us as an ATM machine,” Thomas told the board. “Most of us work two jobs. We don’t have time to come here and beg you to listen.”

A swing vote shifts

In what may prove to be a decisive development, Neabsco District Supervisor Victor Angry told Potomac Local News he now supports reducing the tax—a shift that could tip the balance in favor of rollback efforts.

Angry initially supported the meals tax to help fund services as new attractions were expected to boost tourism and restaurant business in eastern Prince William County. But those projects—including a massive indoor sports field house and a potential Washington Commanders stadium—have since fallen through.

“We were expecting new restaurants and increased revenue from visitors,” said Angry. “That didn’t happen. I’m open to change because the circumstances have changed.”

Gordy proposes a phase-out plan

Brentsville District Supervisor Tom Gordy, who has long criticized the meals tax, reiterated his position and shared a concrete proposal.

“I support lowering the meals tax. I issued a directive in April 2024 directing County staff to draft a proposal to cut it to 2%,” Gordy said. “It adds another burden on our residents, and we should continue working to reduce that burden.”

To offset the revenue loss, Gordy supports increasing the county’s Computer and peripheral (data center) tax to $4.15, aligning it with neighboring jurisdictions. “This diversifies our tax base while maintaining services,” he said.

A divided board

Not all supervisors have weighed in. Occoquan District Supervisor Kenny Boddye has previously defended the meals tax, calling it essential to diversifying county revenue and funding public services like police, schools, and parks.

“Receipts data since the meals tax adoption in 2022 shows consistent growth for our restaurants,” Boddye said in a statement earlier this year. He emphasized that “nearly half of restaurant-goers around attraction nodes like Potomac Mills live outside the County,” arguing the tax helps residents by leveraging visitor spending.

The Board of County Supervisors will approve the FY2026 budget in the coming weeks, with a final decision expected by the end of April.

Meanwhile, local restaurant workers like Shannon Patterson continue to hope for relief.

“COVID taxed us enough,” she said. “Do we really need another [tax] just to eat?”