Hank Silverberg, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – An attempt will be made to alleviate another of the region’s road bottlenecks.
But this time, it will be done without state or federal money.
Prince William County’s Board of Supervisors will move ahead with widening about two miles of U.S. Route 1 between Featherstone Road and Neabsco Mills Road.
It’s a commuter route that is becoming even more crowded with the increase of military personnel at Fort Belvoir and the Quantico Marine base.
Supervisor Marty Nohe says it’s all part of an overall strategy for the Route 1 corridor.
“We really see the Potomac communities as one of the key target areas that we can bring in some top-tier companies to serve the military bases,” Nohe says.
The county will spend $50 million, most of it from bond money approved by the voters, to put in a third lane in each direction. The project will also include a sidewalk and a 16-foot-wide raised median with gutters.
“We heard from the voters that they wanted this transportation capacity and didn’t want to wait for the state to do it,” says Nohe.
Prince William County has led the state in doing many road projects on its own, including a similar widening of Route 1 in Triangle.
Nohe says they are hoping the improvements will help attract federal contractors who want to be near the military bases.
The board is also requesting a review of what it would cost to widen the rest of the county’s 14-mile stretch of Route 1.
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