Police to crack down on parking violators at Horner Road commuter lot

WASHINGTON – Virginia State Police and Prince William County Police are cracking down on parking violators at the Horner Road commuter parking lot.

The campaign begins Monday in response to complaints about vehicles being illegally parked and the potential hazards it poses to pedestrians and other motorists traveling through the lot on Prince William Parkway, just off Interstate 95.

The initiative has two phases.

The first phase begins on Monday, June 18 and runs through Friday, June 29. Troopers will patrol the lot throughout the day, looking for double parked vehicles and vehicles blocking travel lanes. During this first phase, violators will receive a warning in the form of a flyer. However, any vehicle posing a severe traffic hazard may be removed from the lot at the owner’s expense.

Digital message boards will be located in the commuter lot to alert drivers of the ongoing enforcement crackdown.

On Monday, July 2, the second phase will begin and vehicles parked illegally will be ticketed or towed at the owner’s expense.

Illegally parked vehicles are defined as the following:

  • Vehicles parked in areas posted or marked with “No Parking” signage.
  • Vehicles parked in landscaped areas not intended for vehicle parking.
  • Vehicles parked illegally in a travel lane that obstructs traffic. These vehicles will be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

Additional commuter parking space is available at other lots in Prince William County. Additional information on Northern Virginia commuter lots is available at virginiadot.org.

The Horner Road commuter lot is a popular starting point for slug line users going from Prince William County into D.C. via Interstate 95. A similar crackdown took place last October.

However, parkers have complained the 2,363 spots aren’t enough to meet needs and the lot is often full by 7 a.m.

Last year, Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton announced the state would build a $7.2 million, 600-space lot down the street from the Horner Lot to ease congestion.

The project is expected to be completed in 2013.

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