Over the years, various proposals for a Bi-County Parkway have stirred debate around environmental impacts, which counties would benefit, and different schools of thought on tackling the region’s transportation challenges. With the recent magisterial redistricting, the Occoquan District welcomed new constituents from along the 234 corridor, many of whom have long expressed concerns around this project — something that was a topic of discussion during the Pageland CPA Listening Session that I recently hosted.
While we need to find ways to keep people, goods, and services moving efficiently and safely in Prince William, it is clear that this particular project doesn’t belong in our current planning. Road-building and enhancements to existing roadways play a critical role in improving mobility, but we cannot solely pave our way out of traffic challenges. With this in mind, I joined my colleagues in voting to remove the Bi-County Parkway from the new Comprehensive Plan. (Read more in the Prince William Times.)
I will continue to support road projects with clear benefits, such as intersection improvements at Prince William Parkway and Old Bridge Road or the incremental extension of bike/ped facilities along Old Bridge, while pursuing transit solutions that bring more buses, trains, and alternative transportation options to our community. I will also continue to advocate for walkable communities and workforce housing built along transit nodes and job centers such as the “Healthcare Hub” between Minnieville Road and Opitz Boulevard.
Thank you to all who engaged with me and other members of the Board on this issue. I look forward to hearing from you in the ongoing discussions around the future of transportation, land use, sustainability, and economic opportunity in Prince William County. If you have not done so already, you can click here to RSVP for a Mobility Matters Virtual Town Hall on March 10, highlighting mobility projects (planned and proposed) in the Occoquan District.
