A new park-and-ride lot and intersection improvements are proposed for the U.S. 17/Interstate 95 area in Stafford County.
By Hank Silverberg
CORRESPONDENT
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A new park-and-ride lot is planned for the U.S. 17/Interstate 95 intersection in Stafford County, which—along with an intersection realignment—will change the nature of the area.
The Virginia Department of Transportation said the lot is necessitated by increased traffic from several new housing subdivisions and the need to provide more snow clearance supplies for new highway express lanes.
Construction has already begun on two salt storage facilities at the rear of the existing park-and-ride lot on Warrenton Road (U.S. 17) west of I-95, near interchange 133. That project should be completed before this winter.
The salt dome construction has eliminated about 450 parking spaces in the back of the existing lot, with about 600 spaces remaining.
To offset the loss of spaces, the state is proposing a new park-and-ride lot in what is now a wooded area on Old Forge Drive, east of I-95, across the street from an existing VDOT facility.
The proposed lot, to cost an estimated $24.1 million, will have approximately 500 spaces, a pick-up and drop-off lane for car and van pools, and a passenger shelter.
Omniride Express Buses, which already serve the existing lot, will serve the proposed new one.
The facelift for the area will also include an $11.5 million dollar project to improve the U.S. 17 intersection with Olde Forge Drive and the realignment RV Parkway. New signal lights and sidewalks are also being added.
Construction would begin in October 2027 and is scheduled to be finished in mid-2029.
VDOT could not provide the Advance with specifics on the number of cars using the current park-and-ride lot, but spokeswoman Kelly Hannon says the number has increased since the Omniride Bus service began there in December of last year.
The lot was about two-thirds full on a visit at midday on Tuesday, July 30.
The two huge salt domes will hold 7,000 tons. Four brine storage tanks will be installed, enough to store 40,000 gallons of brine.
According to VDOT, the Fredericksburg District will now have to clear snow and other winter debris from an additional 62 miles of I-95, because of the express lanes and new bridges across the Rappahannock.
Including ramps, that adds up to 367.12 miles of highway for which the Fredericksburg District is responsible.
The express lanes are controlled by a private company, Transurban, but VDOT is responsible for winter snow clearance.
A public hearing on the new park-and-ride lot and the intersection improvements at Old Forge Drive is set for Tuesday, August 6, from 5-7 p.m. at the VDOT district offices at 86 Deacon Road in Stafford County.
Project information is posted online, and the public can take an online survey through Aug. 16.
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