
GAINESVILLE, Va. â Patrick Harders, a longtime Manassas area resident and founder of a regional outdoor lighting company, is running for Gainesville District Supervisorâand heâs entering a race already stirred by internal Republican friction and calls for leadership rooted in integrity.
Harders announced his candidacy Thursday, casting himself as a conservative voice for responsible growth, fiscal accountability, and transparency. He says heâs stepping up to continue the work of the late Supervisor Bob Weir, who died earlier this month and was known for his outspoken opposition to data center sprawl.
Weir, also a Republican, won his seat in a 2023 special election with 60% of the vote, drawing bipartisan support for his stance against unchecked development. His death left the Gainesville District seat vacant, triggering a special election scheduled for November 4, 2025.
Hardersâ business background includes founding Dayloom, a Northern Virginia-based landscape lighting company previously known as Enlightened Lighting. The company serves residential and commercial clients across the D.C. area with energy-efficient design and installation services. According to his campaign, Harders started the company more than 20 years ago while living in a small studio apartment on Coverstone Drive.
His announcement comes just days after fellow Republican Brian Landrum jumped into the raceâimmediately accusing prominent community leader Kathy Kulick of misleading the public by pretending to run while privately backing Harders. Kulick denies any political trickery and has endorsed Harders, saying he is âeminently qualifiedâ and shares her opposition to sprawling data center developments.
So far, no Democratic candidate has entered the race. But with the GOP split already playing out in public, the fight for Gainesvilleâs swing district is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests in Prince William County this fall.
Hereâs the full press release:
Patrick Harders announces his candidacy for Gainesville District Supervisor in Prince William County. A conservative Republican, Harders is emphasizing his commitment to community-driven leadership, fiscal accountability, and responsible development.
Inspired by the late and Honorable Bob Weirâs legacy of accountability and integrity, Harders aims to carry Bobâs vision forward to ensure that Gainesville District citizens continue to have a strong voice in local government and in the fight against data center overdevelopment.
âBob Weir was not only a trusted friend, but a rare leader of exceptional intelligence and unwavering honor. His slogan, âaccountability and integrity matter,â wasnât simply campaign rhetoricâit was his way of life,â said Harders. âBob stepped up when our neighbors felt voiceless, and Iâm committed to continue his fight for the Gainesville community.â
A successful entrepreneur and long-time resident, Harders moved to Manassas over 20 years ago, starting his first business from a small studio apartment on Coverstone Drive. After marrying his wife Laura, they bought their first home in Manassas in 2006 and later restored a historic farmhouse near the Manassas Battlefield, investing three years into creating their dream home.
As a history buff deeply connected to the region, Harders understands the Gainesville Districtâs unique heritage and its importance for Prince William County and the region. âOur district has been at the heart of historic battlesâfrom the first and second Battles of Manassas to modern struggles over irresponsible data center development,â Harders noted. âThe residents here arenât fighting progress; they are demanding responsible leadership and thoughtful planning.â
Drawing from his experience growing successful businesses and employing Virginians, Harders is ready to lead the Gainesville District and he believes in giving back to the community that provided him with opportunities to thrive. âIâve built a wonderful life for my family here; living in Prince William County has provided incredible opportunities. With these opportunities comes responsibilityâto serve, to listen, and to represent those whose voices are often overlooked,â said Harders.
Patrick Harders seeks the support and prayers of Gainesville District residents as he steps forward to run as Supervisor. His campaign pledges to uphold integrity, fight for responsible growth and a fiscally responsible government, and continue the work that Bob Weir so dutifully began. To support Patrickâs campaign or to learn more, please visit PatrickforGainesville.com.
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In a recent interview, Brian Landrum, a Republican candidate for the Gainesville District seat on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, shared his vision and plans for the community. Landrum, an attorney and consultant, emphasized putting residents first and ensuring development benefits the community.
Background and Personal Life
Landrum is married to Nicole, and they have one daughter. The family attends Heritage Baptist Church. The son of a naval officer and a historic preservationist, Landrum says his upbringing instilled in him a strong sense of community and public service. He has been active in civic life since childhood, including handing out flyers with his mother and attending board meetings.
Professional Experience and Political Involvement
Landrum runs a consulting business that advises Republican candidates on legal strategy and political advertising. He has been politically active for years, including working on Corey Stewartâs gubernatorial campaign. Landrum says he is self-funding his campaign to avoid special interest influence and maintain independence.
Campaign Platform and Key Issues
Landrumâs campaign slogan, âMake Data Centers Pay,â underscores his views on development and taxation. He has criticized the countyâs handling of data center approvals and their impact on nearby communities.
- Resident-Focused Development: Landrum is critical of the Digital Gateway project, which he described as âone of the greatest abominations ever built.â He says new development should serve existing residents.
- Tax Rate Reduction: He proposes using the estimated $400 million in tax revenue from data centers to lower the property tax rate and issue a rebate to residents. He calls this the âBig Data Dividend.â
- Transparency and Accountability: Landrum has pledged to maintain an open-door policy and to expose backroom deals or corruption.
Community Involvement and Historic Preservation
Landrum has chaired the Prince William Architectural Review Board and supported preservation efforts in communities such as Thoroughfare, a historic site once home to freed slaves. He has proposed increasing conservation acreage in the county and said his detail-oriented approach and experience will inform his policy decisions.
Addressing Residency and Commitment Concerns
While he is a long-time county resident, Landrum just moved to the Gainesville District, prompting questions from critics who said the relocation is politically motivated. Landrum acknowledges the timing but says his familyâs history in the area and his community involvement reflect his commitment.
âYou know if people want to say that, obviously the timing here is close. You know when you’ve got a supervisor that suddenly passes away and anytime there’s that kind of sudden event I could have moved into the district six months ago and people would still have said, âoh, you were just waiting in the wings,â but I moved in June and rented a friendâs basement in Haymarket and I have already signed a lease in Haymarket. I live in the Gainesville District. My move coincided, but was not because of Bobâs illness. Besides, Iâm not running for a title,â he said. âIâm running because I want to do the work.â
Political Outlook with Competitors
Landrum addressed the candidacy of Patrick Harders, a business owner who, along with his wife Laura Harders, has been active in antiâdata center advocacy. âEverybody seems to really like Laura, but the same people that seemed to really like Laura don’t know Patrick very well because he’s just not reallyâhe’s not been front and center the way that she has,â Landrum said.
Harders has yet to formally announce his candidacy, but his name was leaked in a text messageâintended for othersâsent to Landrum by presumed candidate Kathy Kulick.
âThis is a two-and-a-half, three-week Firehouse Primary and then right after that we’ve got to unite and we’ve got to work together,â Landrum said. âWe’ve gotta win this thing.â
Landrum criticized how the Harders campaign emerged.
âThis whole idea that [Kulick] would just keep the seat warm for him and then, you know, surprise switcheroo and had to take the thing into Patrick announcing his candidacy… it was a deceptive start to his campaign,â he said.
âThere definitely seemed to be coordination,â Landrum added, referring to communications that indicated a planned handoff between Kulick and Harders. âThatâs not only being dishonest with me, it’s being dishonest with the press. It’s being dishonest with the voters. It’s being dishonest with the Republican Party.â
âI don’t know enough about Patrick to be a judge of his character, and I’m not going to impute his character,â Landrum said. âBut Iâll say that thatâs a bad look.â
Republicans will hold a firehouse primary to determine their nominee. The winner will face a Democratic challenger in November to fill the seat previously held by the late Supervisor Bob Weir.

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. â The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted Tuesday to lower the countyâs meals tax from 4% to 3%, a move intended to relieve economic pressure on families and local restaurants. The change, passed on a 5â2 vote, will take effect January 1, 2026.
âThis is a regressive tax,â said Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega, who supports a full repeal in the future. âWeâre going to continue to take action.â
The meals tax was first implemented in 2022 and has since become a significant source of county revenue. According to previous county estimates reported by Potomac Local News, the tax generated approximately $25 million in FY2023 and was projected to bring in about $42 million for FY2025âa nearly $17 million increase in just two years. Much of the growth, county officials have noted, is tied to post-pandemic recovery and increased food costs.
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GAINESVILLE, Va. â Just hours after the Prince William Board of County Supervisors paid tribute to their late colleague Bob Weir, political tensions flared in the race to replace him.
Weir, a Republican, died earlier this month from complications related to colon cancer. He was elected in 2023 in a landslide victory over Democrat Kerensa Sumers, winning 60 percent of the 7,123 votes cast during a special election to fill the remainder of former Supervisor Pete Candlandâs term. Candland resigned in December 2022 after selling his property to a data center developerâa move that drew public criticism, particularly from constituents concerned about suburban sprawl and industrial encroachment on rural and historic land.
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PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. â The Prince William Board of County Supervisors opened its July 29 meeting with a solemn tribute to their late colleague, Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Weir, who passed away earlier this month.
âAll right, everyone, it is 2 o’clock. I’m asking that everyone take a seat. We are going to begin with a moment of silence, and it’s going to be in honor of our colleague who we lost, Supervisor Bob Weir,â said Chair At-Large Deshundra Jefferson.
âSupervisor Bob left an incredible mark on our county, and his unexpected loss is a loss for all of us. So I’m honored that his team has joined us today. I’m honored because I know I have a lot of people here who are coming to speak in honor of him.â
Jefferson announced a series of events to honor Weir. âThe town of Haymarket is going to do a proclamation on August 4th at 7 o’clock in his honor, and we as a board are going to do a proclamation on September 9th at the 2 o’clock session, I believe. We’re still working to make sure that’s firmed up.â
âThere is going to be a celebration of his life and legacy that no other than Giuseppe’s on September 27th from 1 o’clock to 4 o’clock. Please be casual, okay? Please be casual. That’s how Bob would have wanted things.â
Special Election Initiated
Later in the meeting, the board voted unanimously to begin the formal process to fill Weirâs now-vacant seat.
âI move to authorize the county attorney to notify the Circuit Court of the vacancy created by the untimely death of Gainesville District Supervisor Robert Bob Weir, member of the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors, and to petition the Circuit Court for a writ of special election,â said Supervisor Yesli Vega.
The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Public Reflections on Bob Weir
During the public comment period, residents lined up to remember Weir.
âBob was a dear friend for more than 20 years, and I will miss very much our phone calls,â said Elena Schlossberg. âAnd I think the one person on this board that’s going to miss Bob the most is (Prince William County Attorney Michelle Robl). Bob had many years with you, Michelle, and you will never find another sparring partner as intelligent, as thoughtful, and as dedicated to the truth as Bob.â
âAnd I can’t help but comment on the beginning of this board meeting, life goes on. And for me, in Judaism, we believe that each one of us lives on through our deeds. And that is how we are best remembered.â
Rachel Ellis of the Gainesville District said, âSupervisor Weir understood these things. He made it a priority to understand this and anything else that would impact county residents, whether they lived in his district or not. Bob truly represented the residents first. He was not a politician. Bob pushed for transparency and accountability in this county. You could trust Bob. Bob had integrity. He could not be bought. I look forward to seeing Bob’s portrait in chambers, maybe back here where citizens stand to speak as he always listened to residents and put our interests above developers.â
Jessica Grove, also from the Gainesville District, spoke with her son beside her: âBob didn’t sugarcoat anything. He didn’t lie. He had morals that, oddly enough, even I have a hard time living up to.â
âAnd I hope that if we have Bob’s picture hanging in here, that when you put votes that affect my end of the county⊠that you remember the morals and the ethics that Bob held for our end of the county. And, you know, really, just for the entire county.â
Her son, Miles, added: âSo we got to find a better, more, we got to find someone as good as Bob. And hopefully, like, just find someone that will be honest to us and serve the community and love nature the way Bob did.â
George Stewart said, âBob wasn’t always the smoothest in his delivery. And I appreciated that. I appreciated that. I was raised by a guy that was just like Bob, kind of crispy and burnt around the edges, but had a moral compass that could never, ever, ever be compromised.â
âAnd, you know, Bob is now, he’s running things upstairs. And, you know, and I know he’s, while he’s not in hell, he’s giving them hell, you know, as he always will, as he always have.â
Reflections from the Dais
Supervisors also shared their memories and reflections.
Supervisor Vega spoke emotionally: âBob was somebody that truly cared. He was somebody that was, in fact, a softy, and although he never really expressed his emotions or how he felt, you could tell when he was proud or when something really excited him.â
âI vividly remember how proud he was of the kid when he became one of Prince William County’s finest, and he graduated from the police academy, the way that he would talk about his girls.â
âRest easy, my friend. We’ll take it from here as far as we can, and to his wife and children, our prayers are with you all.â
Supervisor Margaret Franklin recalled: âA little secret that I think my colleagues know that maybe the public isn’t aware is that Supervisor Weir was a big softy. And he hated when I told him that, but he really was.â
Chair Jefferson said, âBob made me a better leader.â
Supervisor Victor Angry urged action in Weirâs memory: âIt is very important to schedule yourselves for colonoscopies, okay? We work very hard in this position, and oftentimes we don’t think about ourselves⊠Please schedule yourself for a colonoscopy.â
A celebration of Bob Weirâs life and legacy will be held on Saturday, September 27, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Giuseppse’s Restaurant, 15120 Washington Street in Haymarket. A proclamation honoring him is scheduled for September 9 during the boardâs 2 p.m. session.

GAINESVILLE, Va. â Bob Weir, the Gainesville District Supervisor on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors and a longtime fixture in local politics, died July 20, 2025, after a short but aggressive battle with colon cancer. He was 62.
Weir was known across Prince William County not just for his deep policy knowledge and procedural rigor, but for his fiery style, unfiltered commentary, and devotion to public service. State Senator Danica Roem, who covered Weir during her years as a journalist before entering politics, described him as âa curmudgeon in the most loving sense of the word.â
âOnly Bob Weir is Bob Weir,â Roem said in an interview on Monday. âDonât try to be Bob. Donât even think youâre Bob.â
Weirâs last public appearance was on July 8, when he participated remotely in a Board of Supervisors meeting. Roem said the illness progressed quickly, and although Weir hadnât looked well recently, the final days came swiftly.
Before joining the Board of County Supervisors in a 2022 special election, Weir served for decades on the Haymarket Town Council and Planning Commission. Residents knew him as a mainstay at public meetings and a constant presence during Citizens’ Time, where anyone can speak directly to county leaders for three minutes.
âHe would speak at the board members,â said Potomac Local News Publisher Uriah Kiser. âNot to themâat them. Then heâd step outside, light a cigarette, and keep talking to anyone whoâd listen.â
Roem remembered Weirâs mastery of budget documents, legislative rules, and local government operations. He was known to invoke Jeffersonâs Manual or Robertâs Rules of Order during public comment. His speeches were often laced with biting humor and cutting analysis.
âHe could flame you one day and then have a beer with you the next,â Roem said. âHe cared deeply about transparency, fiscal responsibility, and the public knowing what was really going on.â
Although he was a Republican, Weir frequently won support from voters across the political spectrum, particularly in western Prince William County, where opposition to industrial-scale data centers grew in recent years. Weir positioned himself as a staunch critic of the Prince William Digital Gateway project, a mega-development near Manassas National Battlefield Park, which was tied up in legal red tape.
âIf you want to memorialize Bob Weir,â said Roem, âdefeat the Digital Gateway. That was his issue.â
Weirâs approach to politics was as nonpartisan as it was combative. Roem noted that during his time in office, Weir intentionally avoided plastering his name or party affiliation on materials from his district office.
âThe tent at Haymarket Day didnât say âBob Weir,ââ she said. âIt said âGainesville District.â Thatâs how he operatedâthis wasnât about him.â
Weirâs death marks the second time in recent memory that a sitting Prince William County Supervisor died in office. In 2019, longtime Neabsco District Supervisor John Jenkins passed away and was honored with a formal public funeral. Roem said Weir likely wouldnât have wanted the same.
âBob had no interest in pageantry,â Roem said. âHe was more likely to be remembered over scotch and stories at Giuseppeâs than at a state funeral.â
In lieu of a formal service, friends and colleagues are expected to gather informally to share memories. Plans are also underway to plant a crabapple tree in his honor at Long Park in Haymarket, near another tree planted for late Planning Commissioner John Liver.
âHe did so much with public service,â said Roem. âYou might not have agreed with himâbut you always knew heâd done his homework, and he wasnât afraid to tell you exactly what he thought.â
Weir is survived by his wife and three children, close friends and staff, including his longtime aide and confidante Rebecca Bare, whom Roem credited as âthe patron saint of Haymarketâ for guiding him through his final weeks.
Plans for filling the vacant Gainesville District seat have not yet been announced.
Listen to the full conversation and read Roem’s complete statement about Weir posted to Facebook:

9 p.m. update â The Office of Supervisor Bob Weir confirmed his passing on Sunday, July 20, 2025, from metastatic colon cancer. In a statement, his family and staff remembered him as a devoted public servant, husband, and father who deeply valued transparency, community service, and the people of Gainesville District.
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Prince William County Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Weir, who died on Sunday, July 20, 2025, from Metastatic Colon cancer.
Bob was a devoted husband, father, and public servant. He graduated from the University of Virginia. He spent most of his life in the Commonwealth and was proud to call the Gainesville District home. He and his wife of 34 years, Diane, raised their three children â Sam, Michael, and Megan â in the very community he later represented on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.
He began his public service as a Haymarket Town Council member, where he established himself as a thoughtful, principled leader. His work on the Board was marked by a no-nonsense approach, a deep commitment to transparency, and a steadfast focus on the residents he served.
Among his many contributions, Bob was widely known for his dedication to constituent services. He personally followed up with residents, sought practical solutions, and consistently prioritized the day-to-day concerns of the people in his district.
His passing is a profound loss to Prince William County, and his legacy of quiet strength, integrity, and public service will not be forgotten.
At this time, the family respectfully requests privacy to grieve. Details regarding services and opportunities for the public to honor Supervisor Weir will be shared in the coming days.
7:18 p.m. update â The Prince William Board of County Supervisors released a joint statement mourning the loss of Supervisor Weir, calling him âa respected leaderâ whose legacy will endure through the lives he touched and the policies he helped shape.
Full statement:
It is with deep sadness and profound respect that we mourn the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Supervisor Robert âBobâ Weir. He served with unwavering dedication and integrity.
Bob was certainly a character â underneath his tough façade was a heart of pure gold who cared deeply about our community. He was not only a respected leader but also a neighbor, a mentor, and a friend to many. Bob served with humility and purpose, always guided by his belief in good governance and civic responsibility. His contributions to our county reflect a vision rooted in preserving the character of our neighborhoods while preparing for the future.
Bobâs legacy will endure in the lives he touched, the policies he helped shape, and the example he set for future generations of public servants.
We extend our deepest condolences to Bobâs family, friends, staff and all who were inspired by his leadership. And we are honored to have had the privilege of working alongside him.
He will be deeply missed.
Signed,
Deshundra Jefferson, Chair At-Large
Tom Gordy, Brentsville District Supervisor
Yesli Vega, Coles District Supervisor
Victor Angry, Neabsco District Supervisor
Kenny Boddye, Occoquan District Supervisor
Andrea Bailey, Potomac District Supervisor
Margaret Franklin, Woodbridge District Supervisor
Original post â Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Weir has died, sources tell Potomac Local News.
Weir participated remotely in the most recent meeting of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors on July 8, 2025. Sources say he had been battling an aggressive form of colon cancer.
Before joining the Board of County Supervisors, Weir served on the Haymarket Town Council. He was elected Gainesville District Supervisor in a special election in February 2023 following the resignation of former Supervisor Peter Candland. He was later elected to a full four-year term in November 2023.
The Board of County Supervisors is next scheduled to meet on Tuesday, July 29, 2025.
This is a developing story and will be updated.

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. â A political action committee tied to Prince William County Supervisor Yesli Vega (R-Coles) reported a second large-dollar contribution in its latest filing with the Virginia Department of Elections. The committee, YES PAC, launched less than six months ago, has already raised more than $200,000 from just three donors.
Vega, now in her second term on the Board of County Supervisors, has frequently been seen as a rising star in Virginia Republican politics. The formation of YES PAC has reignited speculation that she may be eyeing another run for higher office.
In 2022, Vega emerged from a crowded GOP primary to win the Republican nomination for Virginiaâs 7th Congressional District. She lost the general election to Democrat Abigail Spanberger by fewer than five percentage points. Spanberger is now running for governor, and Democrat Eugene Vindman holds the 7th District seat through at least 2026.
When asked if the new PAC signals a return to the campaign trail, Vega dismissed the notion: âI am laser focused on my work for the people of Prince William County,â she said.
YES PACâs three reported contributions include:
- Alejandra Duarte, wife of developer Jeff Mulhausen. Duarte declined to comment for this story, but political insiders suggest her support reflects confidence in Vega’s appeal to a broad cross-section of county residents, not just development interests.
- Cheryl Kenny, a Manassas-based real estate broker.
- William Cooley, a developer behind the proposed Lexora Park data center project in Dumfries.
Cooley is a prolific political donor in Prince William County, having given to nearly every current Board of Supervisors member except Deshundra Jefferson (D-At Large), Bob Weir (R-Gainesville), and Tom Gordy (R-Brentsville).
Asked about accepting contributions from data center developers, Vega defended her land use record. âMy record speaks for itself. I have never voted for a data center outside of the overlay district,â she said. âNothing has changed. My land use decisions continue to be guided by clear standards, community input, and by the facts of each case.â
Overlay districts are designated areas in the countyâs comprehensive plan where data centers are deemed most compatible with surrounding land uses. Projects outside those zones face greater scrutiny and often public resistance.
Data centers have been a flashpoint in local politics. Since 2019, developers have spent heavily in Prince William County, lobbying for land use approvals. Under then-Chair Ann Wheeler (D), the previous board approved millions of square feet of new data center space, often during meetings that stretched into the early morning hours.
In the 2023 election cycle, Democrats in Prince William received sizable donations from data center developers. Campaign finance records indicate some of those funds were routed through other Democratic committees or lawmakers before being passed to local candidatesâan apparent effort to obscure the industryâs financial influence.
Looking ahead, Vega said YES PAC is just getting started. âI intend to raise as much money as I can to help elect common sense Republicans across the Commonwealth,â she said.
The PAC recently launched a small-dollar fundraising campaign to build broader grassroots support. Vega indicated additional contributions will appear in the committeeâs next report, due in September.

WOODBRIDGE, Va. â Nearly six months after the grand opening of Prince William Countyâs 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 â May 2025): $21,508
- Water (Sept 2024 â 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 timeâfrom 1 hour, 55 minutes in November to 5 hours, 40 minutes in Mayâindicating 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 projectâs 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.
âHelp me understand how this makes good fiscal sense,â 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 garageâs current usage and cost. None responded, except for Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey, who replied via email with a brief âNo comment.â
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PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. â Prince William County leaders are facing mounting pressure to address noise generated by data centers, as residentsâmany from the Great Oak subdivisionâdelivered passionate testimony during the Board of County Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, June 10.
The boardâs discussion centered on a long-delayed draft noise ordinance aimed at controlling the low-frequency hum emitted by industrial cooling systems at massive data facilities, including nearby Amazon Web Services (AWS) sites.