Public transportation in Northern Virginia is seeing a significant rebound as ridership continues to climb on both Virginia Railway Express (VRE) trains and OmniRide commuter and local buses. However, transit leaders warn that increased demand may soon outpace available resources, especially for locally funded services.
During its March 2025 meeting, the VRE Operations Board reported that ridership in February topped 152,000 tripsâdespite only 19 service days and early-month weather disruptions. March figures are on pace to surpass that total significantly. With only 14 service days logged by mid-month, March had already recorded more than 162,000 trips. Average weekday ridership has climbed to more than 11,500 trips.
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On Thursday afternoon, a single-vehicle crash brought down power lines and shut down a heavily traveled portion of Route 610 (Garrisonville Road).
According to Stafford County Sheriffâs Office spokesman Ryan Wilbur, the crash occurred in the 1200 block of Garrisonville Road, between Tech Parkwayânear the WaWa gas stationâand Joshua Road, by a Tractor Supply store.
Wilbur said emergency crews took the driver to a hospital out of abundance of caution.
Both directions of Garrisonville Road remain closed as emergency crews respond to the scene. Deputies from the Sheriffâs Office and personnel from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) are working together to assess the damage and clear the roadway.
Drivers are asked to avoid the area and seek alternate routes until further notice.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Updated 10 a.m. â A Stafford County Sheriffâs deputy was injured early Tuesday morning after being struck by a vehicle that fled the scene.
According to the Sheriffâs Office, the incident occurred around 6:15 a.m. on northbound Interstate 95 near the Warrenton Road (Route 17) exit ramp. The deputy, who was operating a department-issued motorcycle, was stationary and stuck in traffic as he exited the interstate when an unidentified vehicle struck him from behind and continued driving.
The deputy sustained what officials describe as minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. He was released 30 minutes ago, according to Sheriffâs Office spokesman Ryan Wilbur.
Authorities do not have a description of the suspect vehicle at this time but say it is expected to have front-end damage. The Sheriffâs Office is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or was in the area at the time to contact them immediately.
In an effort to learn more, Potomac Local News has asked the Sheriffâs Office about the circumstances of the crash, including whether the deputy was conducting radar enforcement and how long he has served with the department. As a motor unit deputy, it is likely he has significant tenure.
The investigation is ongoing, and more information is expected to be released.
The project, assigned to Fresh Air Cleaning LLC, encompasses extensive preparation work, including sandblasting and sealing, before repainting. This initiative is part of VRE's ongoing life-cycle maintenance strategy to uphold and improve its facilities.
During the public comment segment of the March 2025 board meeting, Prince William County resident Alfred Williams, 84, highlighted the challenges senior passengers face when purchasing tickets at the station.
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OmniRide, the public transit agency operated by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), is entering a new era of service expansion thanks to a newly passed state law.
The passage of Senate Bill 1317, unanimously approved by the Virginia General Assembly and currently awaiting the Governorâs signature, officially grants PRTC the authority to expand transit service beyond its founding jurisdictions. The move clears the path for the agencyâs recent expansion into Front Royal, in Warren County, marking the first time PRTC has offered service outside its original member localities.
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âThis is more than just a commuting road,â said Backmon. âIt will be transformationalâimproving the quality of life, increasing access to jobs, and stimulating economic vitality.â
Backmon addressed the Dumfries Town Council on March 18, delivering an update on NVTA's investments in Prince William County and urging local leaders to prepare for an upcoming opportunity to apply for new transportation funding. The NVTA will issue its next Call for Projects this spring, covering fiscal years 2030 and 2031.
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All work is weather permitting. If you need real-time updates on lane closures, visit 511Virginia.org.
Interstate 95: Northbound & Southbound
- Exit 104 (Carmel Church) to Exit 148 (Quantico)
- Sunday â Saturday, 7 p.m.â7 a.m.
- Mobile lane closures for bridge cleaning at:
- Mile Markers 117, 119, 121
- Exit 126 (Spotsylvania)
- Exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton)
- Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway)
- Mile Marker 137 (Potomac Creek bridges)
- Exit 140 (Courthouse Road)
- Mile Marker 144
I-95 Southbound at Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway)
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3 p.m.
- Single lane closure between mile markers 136â135 for fiber installation.
I-95 Southbound at Exit 126 (Spotsylvania)
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3 p.m.
- Single lane closure between mile markers 126â125 for fiber installation.
- I-95 Southbound Exit 126 Off-Ramp to Route 1
- Sunday â Saturday, 7 p.m.â10 a.m.
- Alternating single lane closures for construction of an additional right-turn lane onto Route 1 southbound.
City of Fredericksburg
Lafayette Boulevard
- Monday â Thursday, 7 a.m.â2 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m.ânoon
- Right lane closure between Twin Lake Drive and St. Pauls Drive. Two-lane traffic maintained with slight shift.
Fall Hill Avenue
- Wednesday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3:30 p.m.
- Alternating lane closures between Route 1 and Wallace Street, directed by flaggers.
Stafford County
Route 1 Northbound & Southbound
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3 p.m.
- Right lane closures between Centreport Parkway and Route 17 for fiber installation.
- Route 17 Southbound
- Monday â Thursday, 9 a.m.â3 p.m.
- Intermittent right lane closures between Village Parkway and Hartwood Church Road for water and sewer line installation.
Route 603 (Caisson Road)
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â7 p.m.
- Alternating one-way traffic for paving work with flaggers.
Route 607 (Cool Springs Road)
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3 p.m.
- Single lane closures for fiber installation.
Route 654 (Banks Ford Parkway)
- Monday â Friday, 7 a.m.â5 p.m.
- Alternating lane closures for paving.
Route 654 (Berea Church Road)
- Closed from Berea Knolls Drive to Theresa Garden Place. Northbound access closed from Route 17 to Berea Knolls Drive for a reconstruction project. Detour in place.
Route 753 (Enon Road)
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3 p.m.
- Single lane closures for fiber installation.
Celebrate Virginia Parkway
- Monday â Friday, 7 a.m.â5 p.m.
- Alternating lane closures for paving.
Berea Plantation Subdivision
- Friday, 9 a.m.â7 p.m.
- Flagging operation for milling and paving on various subdivision roads.
Spotsylvania County
Route 1
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3 p.m.
- Lane shift between Arcadia Road and Mudd Tavern Road for roadwork related to the Kalahari Resort project.
- Route 1 Northbound & Southbound
- Sunday â Saturday, 7 p.m.â10 a.m.
- Alternating lane closures between the I-95 southbound off-ramp and Southpoint Parkway.
Route 1 Northbound near Mudd Tavern Road
- Monday â Friday, 7 a.m.â4:30 p.m.
- Single lane closure for ongoing construction.
Route 2 (Tidewater Trail)
- Monday â Friday, 9 p.m.â5 a.m.
- Single lane closure between Benchmark Road and Pierson Drive for water main installation.
- Route 606 (Morris Road)
- Wednesday â Saturday, overnight hours
- Alternating lane closures between Route 1 and Taveneer Lane for waterline work.
Route 608 (Massaponax Church Road)
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3 p.m.
- Single lane closure between Hickory Hill Drive and Summit Crossing Road with one-way, alternating traffic.
Route 610 (Old Plank Road)
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3 p.m.: Alternating lane closures for roundabout construction
- Tuesday â Wednesday, 9 a.m.â3:30 p.m.: Full closure between Harrison Road and Gordon Road. Detour in place
- Thursday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3:30 p.m.: Flaggers alternating one-way traffic near Harrison Road
- Route 620 (Harrison Road)
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3 p.m.
- Single lane closures between Kingswood Boulevard and Salem Church Road for water main installation.
- Route 639 (Leavells Road)
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.â6 a.m.
- Alternating lane closures for bridge repair at Massaponax Creek.
Leavells Crossing Subdivision
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â7 p.m.
- Flagging operations for milling and paving work on subdivision roads.
- Southpoint Parkway
- Sunday â Saturday, 7:30 p.m.â5:30 a.m. and Monday â Thursday, 9 a.m.â3:30 p.m.
- Alternating single lane closures between Pacific Drive and Route 1 for median improvements.
Spotsylvania Parkway
Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â3:30 p.m.
- Alternating single lane closures for installation of a pedestrian flashing beacon near Lee’s Parke subdivisions.
- Summers Landing Subdivision
- Monday â Friday, 9 a.m.â7 p.m.
- Mobile work applying shoulder stone on subdivision roads.
Despite renewed interest in expanding Metro to Prince William County, the regionâs top transportation planner says itâs unlikely anytime soon.
Clark Mercer, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), told the Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Tuesday that local leaders across the region have little appetite for billion-dollar rail expansions. Instead, regional planners are focused on improving existing services, including buses and infrastructure upgrades at current stations.
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More than a year after the city demolished the Olde Towne Inn, efforts are underway to improve the now vacant lot in the heart of downtown Manassas. The city recently announced a $160,000 project to convert the space into a temporary parking lot, a move that comes as plans for a new hotel on the site have stalled.
The Olde Towne Inn, which stood at 9405 Main Street, was purchased by the Manassas Economic Development Authority for $5.75 million in February 2023. The motel, a downtown staple for decades, was razed in November 2023 to make way for a new hotel or mixed-use development. However, financing issues and parking constraints have complicated efforts to attract developers.
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The is experiencing a surge in ridership, with a 36% increase in February compared to January, despite one fewer service day. Early data from March indicates the trend is continuing, with ridership levels already outpacing previous weeks.
The boost in ridership was discussed at the March 6 Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) meeting and has been particularly strong on express routes, following a pattern seen across the region. Southern commuter routes, including Route 611 (Front Royal-Gainesville-Washington), Route 612 (Warrenton-Gainesville-Pentagon-LâEnfant Plaza-Navy Yard), and Route 622 (Haymarket-Rosslyn/Ballston), recorded their highest monthly ridership total yet, surpassing 11,000 trips combined.
