Prince William may halt $300 million Route 28 bypass project

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors is casting doubt over the future of the planned Route 28 bypass project with a new directive to the county executive.

The project, under design since its approval by the board in September 2020 and expected to cost between $300 million and $400 million, has reached a standstill due to cost issues and the implications of its planned path through the Bull Run Mobile Home Park in Manassas.

Measuring 3.5 miles, the bypass would require the displacement of dozens of Bull Run mobile homes, and while the proposed route would redirect traffic away from downtown Manassas, it would also infringe upon environmentally sensitive areas such as Fairfax County’s Bull Run Regional Park. 

The planned bypass is a joint venture between Fairfax and Prince William counties and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority – which made separate investments toward the project of $89 million for general infrastructure and an additional $6 million for feasibility and environmental studies. 

Prince William County voters approved a $200 million bond referendum on Nov. 5, 2019, that could cover the remaining cost.  

According to designs outlined on the county’s Route 28 bypass project website, the new road would begin as an extension of Godwin Drive at its meeting with Sudley Road, before intersecting with Lomond Drive and continuing up to the border between Fairfax and Prince William counties. The bypass would then briefly connect with Ordway Drive and tie into the existing portion of Route 28 south of Compton Road.

An alternative path would turn east from Godwin Road to rejoin Route 28 south of the Bull Run stream.

But on Dec. 10, Republican Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega issued a directive for County Executive Christopher J. Shorter to work with county staff “to draft a resolution to take formal action cancelling and closing out the county’s involvement in the Route 28 bypass project during a board meeting in December or as soon as possible.”

The directive was met with no opposition from colleagues on the dais, with several fellow supervisors encouraging an expanded public discussion on the matter at a future board meeting.

“While I acknowledge and appreciate all the planning, design, engineering and community engagement that has occurred across multiple jurisdictions, I no longer have confidence the project is viable or maintains the necessary support to move forward,” Vega said.   

Woodbridge Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin, a Democrat, voiced her concerns as to the bilateral nature of the plan. She said she is confused by “exactly what Fairfax County is asking for” and suggested representatives from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority come speak before the board.

“I have [been briefed], but there is a lot of back-and-forth between what I’m hearing from our guys and what I’m hearing from others not in Prince William County,” Franklin said.

Vega said the intent of her directive is indeed to bring the resolution back up for board discussion at a future date.

Chair At-Large Deshundra Jefferson, a Democrat, endorsed an “open and transparent discussion” and lamented “a lot of he-said-she-said” from the parties and stakeholders involved.

Prince William County Transportation Director Rick Canizales said staff have exhausted design options and are seeking approval from all parties.  

“We have been meeting all the way up to the point where we had to kind of conclude the design portion of where we were to try to get acknowledgement and make sure we could move forward with the project with all the partners involved,” Canizales said.

Occoquan Supervisor Kenny A. Boddye, a Democrat, cited the outcome of the 2019 referendum as a reason for expanded discussion. 

“Since Route 28 and the bypass or widening was a bond referendum project, I think it’s in our best interest to have a public discussion because the voters voted for it one way or another,” Boddye said. “So I think it’s good that we talk about it in an open discussion as opposed to behind the scenes.”

Democratic Potomac Supervisor Andrea Bailey said she is interested in hearing the views of the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, to which Canizales said both are partners on the project and have been kept informed throughout the planning process.