Several Western Prince William County citizens spoke out against the Bi-County Parkway, and supervisors responded at their May 7 meeting.
The Bi or Tri-County Parkway, or North-South Corridor, is an expressway to connect Prince William and Loudoun counties. It has been planned in some form or another for nearly three decades. However, building may begin this summer as Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton has made it a priority for his Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT.)
"Just Say No to the Tri-County Parkway" organizer, Page Snyder, explained how people living in Gainesville's rural crescent would lose access to their local roads -- something they do not intend to accept without a fight.
“We will not be bush-whacked, and we will not be thrown under the bus. We are old people, and we will release our age,” Snyder said, reading one of her campaign mottos.
After hours of research and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, Synder said she has serious misgivings about the VDOT.
“VDOT and the Commonwealth of Transportation Board are trying to mislead and misdirect us into thinking it’s a lost cause,” Snyder said.
She also questioned the motives of the National Parks Department that is receiving $3 million for working with VDOT on the highway. She asked that the supervisors listen to the citizens, investigate VDOTs’ motives and act in the interest of their citizens.
“We depend on you, our supervisors, to protect us. Don’t allow yourself to be painted by the same whitewash as VDOT. We must depend on you to do what is right for the county,” Snyder said.
Philomena Hefter of Catharpin asked the supervisors not to sign off on the project before finding out how VDOT’s plans had been altered over the years.
“They are actually asking you for something that will hurt us, and it is not something you agreed to,” Hefter said.
She reminded them that the parkway is planned to link Route 95 in Dumfries through Loudoun County, almost reaching Dulles Airport. Like an outer beltway, it is intended to be a multilaned, limited access expressway with HOV and toll lanes.
Hefter also has grave concerns that VDOT is now planning to close major roads before the opening of the Manassas Battlefield Bypass in her community. VDOT would close Route 234/Sudley Road in the Gainesville District between Featherbed Lane and Northern Virginia Community College. Simultaneously, they would slow traffic on Route 29/Lee Highway around the Manassas Battlefield, which would likely cause more traffic on I-66.
Another Catharpin citizen rallied against the road project, saying, “There is no money to expand Interstate 66; there is nothing in the budget anywhere. Everyone goes east to west. Nobody goes north to south to go to Dulles. It doesn’t make sense to those of us who live here.”
Chairman Corey Stewart (R) said while he supports the road, no one on his board supports closing road access for citizens.
“As you know, I am a supporter of this road. I think we need this road. But, the road should be on the eastern side of the battlefield, and we need to work with you to make sure that you have access to Route 29. And, if VDOT believes it is going to cut off Route 29 or the 234 Bypass without finding a bypass, this board is absolutely opposed to that,” Stewart said.
However, Stewart told citizens his board does not hold the authority to block the building of the road in its entirety.
“The road is planned- as you know, and will be funded by the state and federal governments. Honestly, the decision about whether this road will be funded is with the legislators and with VDOT,” he said.
Stewart questioned the motives of the legislators who stood alongside citizens protesting road closures on Route 29, while lambasting him. He especially questioned those who represent Fairfax County, saying Fairfax legislators had protested the bypass running through Fairfax County in the past.
“They did not want our road and Loudoun County's road to take even a nip out of Fairfax County,” said Stewart.
Hefter said they were all new legislators, but Stewart answered that they were new to Prince William. He expressed his concern that when counties share representatives, those legislators have conflicting alliances.
Potomac District Supervisor Maureen Caddigan (R) recognized the issue of the North-South Corridor, or Bi-County Parkway, had been a “sleepy issue” until the citizens’ group “Just Say No,” woke people up to it. Caddigan said she would be meeting with citizens this evening in her district to try to address their concerns about the parkway and has written a letter to VDOT Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton, which will be on her new website, www.potomac.org.
Gainesville Supervisor Pete Candland was unable to attend the board meeting but had shown his support for the citizens of the "Just Say No" campaign in previous public meetings.
Support Bristow Beat - Donate Today!