OCCOQUAN, Va. – Plans to extend the popular Occoquan Riverwalk have hit a major roadblock after Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed $1.2 million in state funding that town leaders had counted on to move the project forward.
The veto was one of 37 line-item cuts to the bipartisan budget recently passed by the General Assembly. Governor Youngkin justified the cuts, totaling $900 million, as necessary due to "short-term risks as President Trump resets both fiscal spending in Washington and trade policies."
Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta shared the news in a statement to residents, expressing disappointment but also gratitude to Delegate Briana Sewell for championing the project in Richmond. “I look forward to working with her as we continue to seek economic development support for this important town and regional effort,” Porta said.
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At the Occoquan Town Council’s November 6 meeting, members revisited the Riverwalk Project, a long-anticipated expansion to connect more of the town’s waterfront to its main pedestrian pathways.
This discussion followed up on plans from the September 20, 2022 meeting, when the council authorized the Berkley Group to develop a comprehensive project vision covering the Riverwalk and Riverwalk Overlook expansions. This plan, funded through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), involved a survey of local conditions, community feedback sessions, and preliminary diagrams, ultimately completed in September 2023.
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The Occoquan Town Council will meet on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, to discuss a significant milestone in the development of the Occoquan Riverwalk. The public meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the town hall, 314 Mill Street.
This discussion will focus on recent updates from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) regarding the project's eligibility for the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and a proposal from Legacy Engineering to proceed with preliminary engineering and design work for the riverwalk's planned extensions.
