Capital Improvement Plan to Bring Transportation Improvements to Dale City

Over the next six years, Prince William County wants to spend $764 million on capital projects, including 11 new schools and 17 additions. Most of the money in the Capital Improvement Plan for this area goes to road improvements.

On Tuesday the Prince William Board of County Supervisors heard a presentation on the Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal year 2011 to 2016.  

The CIP is a prioritized list of capital projects with details on how those projects will get funded. While this plan looks at transportation, public safety, education, community development and general government, most of the improvements that pertain to Woodbridge fall under transportation issues.

This proposed CIP was heard by the board at Tuesday's meeting and is the beginning of the CIP process. Throughout the spring, several work session and public hearings will be held with the Planning Commission and BOCS to work out these budgetary issues.

Following this hearing process, the board then considers and adopts the six-year capital plan in late April.

"It is feasible to get all of these projects done," said Chairman At-Large Corey Stewart. "But, it depends on the budget we approve. The great thing is, the board has cut $150 million in spending over the past three years so it has given us this flexibility."

Stewart said that the proposed tax bill of three percent is still below the tax level from 2007. 

It is important to note that the fiscal years 2011-2016 CIP for the county is $764,683,082 of which $651,426,000 is allotted for schools.

Among other things, the CIP includes an annual contribution to capital improvements at the Woodbridge and Manassas Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. Each $1.00 in local funds leverages $32.00 of State funds.

The larger part of the CIP is slated to go to schools and of that portion, plans include 17 school additions, three replacements, 11 new schools and two bus parking facilities and a maintenance facility funded through debt, along with cash funded repairs and renewals and technology upgrades.

"For the Eastern side of the county, folks will have a new regional library that they have been waiting 30 years for in Montclair," said Stewart.

Through the plan, funding for schools increases from $74.4 million in next fiscal year to $138.4 million by 2014.

The State of Virginia is funding less and less as VDOT runs out of new road money. Since the adoption of the FY 11-16 CIP, Prince William's allocation in the Six Year Secondary Road Plan was reduced to $1.6 million from $2.3 million.

"I am very excited about the transportation improvements," said Stewart. "The widening of the Prince William Parkway will also take the pressure off of Old Bridge Road and from a policy perspective, there has never been a better time to build roads."

Stewart and the board's sentiment on transportation mirrors the standpoint of Governor Bob McDonnell, who just spoke at the Dulles Area Transportation Association on Monday about the need for transportation improvements.

The main project in Dale City included in the proposed CIP is construction on the intersection of Dale Boulevard and Benita Fitzgerald Drive to allow for an extension of a dual-left turn lane from Dale Blvd onto Benita Fitzgerald in an effort to help alleviate congestion and improve safety.

Construction of this improvement is scheduled to be completed in FY 10. 

In Woodbridge, planned projects include major improvements to U.S. Route 1 from Joplin to Bradys Hill roads. The CIP's plan for this stretch of the traffic-laden road calls for a six-lane roadway, complete with a concrete sidewalks and multi-use trail on either side of the road.

"One thing the board did under my signature was to send a proposal to the Governor and Secretary of Transportation proposing that the state government utilize its limited construction budget to match local construction funds to help incentivize localities to help with this," said Stewart. "I believe it is being seriously considered at this time."

Stewart also noted that given the perfect storm of low costs and high demand for construction jobs in the county the CIP plans need to be done now or else they will risk being put off once costs rise again.

Originally, this plan was funded by debt that was authorized by voters in the November 2002 transportation bond referendum. More funds were allocated to this project after voters approved another transportation bond in 2006.
The CIP states that design for this project began in FY 2008 and is scheduled to be completed in FY 11.

As many residents have already seen, construction on the Prince William Parkway from Hoadly to Old Bridge roads is currently underway. Developer contributions and $9.16 million in federal funding from the economic stimulus funded this road-widening project.