The Prince William Board of County Supervisors removed the Bi-County Parkway and North-South corridor from the comprehensive amendment plan for road improvements before approving the plan at their June 4 meeting.
Other roads on the comprehensive plan were approved unanimously, with Supervisor Frank Principi (D) of the Woodbridge District absent.
The North-South Corridor
Maureen Caddigan (R) of the Potomac District said while Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton had removed the toll and HOV lanes from the plans for the North-South Corridor, she was still opposed to the road.
Caddigan opposed the widening of Route 234 from I-95 to Route 29, making it the North-South Corridor, saying it would not benefit her constituents living along that road.
“I saw people last night that were angry, not just in my district, but in other districts,” said Caddigan, referring to VDOT’s Monday evening information meeting at the Hylton Center. “We have homes down there that are going to be affected; most importantly we don’t want to encourage truck traffic.”
She said that while it is a state road, it is important that the Board’s vote reflects their intentions, saying, “I think our delegation is going to say, ‘Well, you, the Board of County Supervisors, voted on this.’”
She added that homeowners living along Route 234 in her district already had their property affected once before by the widening of the road.
“People who bought those homes didn’t bargain for this,” said Caddigan, who believes many of them would move away should their homes be affected.
An Alternative Route to Dulles
The supervisors considered alternatives to the North-South Corridor and Bi-County Parkway, and suggested the widening of Route 28 from the Fairfax line in Yorkshire to Liberia Avenue in Manassas. It would serve as an alternative route to Route 29 to go to Dulles Airport or commute between Prince William and Loudoun Counties.
However, the proposal to add the widening of Route 28 near the Fairfax line was not added to the comprehensive plan since additional funds were not available, nor would it allow adequate time to communicate with those in the Yorkshire community .
Coles District Supervisor Martin Nohe (R), who represents the Yorkshire community, said, “When we look at Route 28 to Yorkshire, it’s a discussion we need to have with the community,” Nohe said.
Nohe further defended the community from disparaging language used by the Chairman.
“I’d have to take offense to you calling Yorkshire ‘ratty.’ There are certainly some older businesses there, but they are thriving," Nohe said.
Supervisor Pete Candland (R) of Gainesville said he would prefer not to “kick the can down the road" and said it was unrealistic to pass a brand new comprehensive plan by July 1.
He said he would prefer to endorse the “non-controversial lists,” which was approved.
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