Old Bridge/Occoquan Road Project Years Ahead of Schedule; Public Comment Open Thru Feb. 17

Thank you to the residents who joined us—virtually and in-person—to discuss the realignment of the Old Bridge/Occoquan Road intersection project with myself and Prince William County’s Department of Transportation (PWC DOT). Our transportation team secured $11.85M of federal SMART SCALE funds through a competitive grant process to advance this long-awaited project. 

The primary goal of this intersection realignment is to improve safety by removing the sharp curve on Old Bridge Road and improving pedestrian facilities (ADA compliant crosswalks, pedestrian “refuge island,” increasing buffer between sidewalks and road). It is not intended to increase road capacity. However, the PWC DOT worked in a few features that will improve traffic flow, including the addition of two turn lanes and several engineering improvements.

The estimated completion is Spring 2025, three years ahead of the original schedule. The County will receive the federal grant money in 2026; however, PWC DOT has been able to put as much of the project into motion as they can in the meantime. Recognizing both the County’s initiative and project benefits, VDOT advanced funds to Prince William, enabling PWC DOT to enter the design phase much sooner than planned. During the hearing, residents had the opportunity to review design plans, ask questions and give feedback based on their experience with the intersection. 

I encourage you to become familiar with the project by visiting the “Current Road Projects” section of the County website and to submit any questions, concerns or recommendations to PWC DOT by Feb. 17, the public comment deadline for the design phase. You can also download a project summary brochure. Comments should be submitted to project manager Sherry Djouharian via: 

• Mail: Prince William County Department of Transportation5 County Complex Court, Suite 290Prince William, VA 22192, or 
• Email: sdjouharian@pwcgov.org

To those who brought up concerns about another project last night – improvements to the Old Bridge/123/I-95 intersections – please know that you are heard. While that project is not yet fully funded or under design, I recognize that it comes with a number of considerations from those who live and do business in that area, as well as those who must navigate the current conditions to connect to I-95 and other major transportation corridors. (See the latest VDOT analysis of this intersection.) In addition to the required public hearings and comment periods, I will be personally seeking your feedback when the project has more momentum. This will be a massive project, and your feedback is a critical component in its success.