Provided by Prince William County
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors recently authorized the County Department of Public Works to enter into an intergovernmental support agreement with Marine Corps Base Quantico to allow Prince William County to work on projects on the base, when the projects provide an overall benefit to the public.
“The partnership with the United State Marine Corps and Quantico is always important to the County because the Marine Corps and the County believe in community,” said Potomac Supervisor Andrea Bailey. “This is a bridging and an extension of community within Prince William County. It’s uniquely done because of the leadership that we have, not just in the County, but in the Marine Corps as well. It’s so important that we keep this relationship to serve our communities collectively.”
The agreement will allow the County to work on drainage and road projects on the base. “This is why this agreement was necessary,” said Tom Smith, the director of the Prince William County Department of Public Works. “This is the mechanism and means to get this done. Quantico approached us and said they would be willing to enter into this agreement. This is an umbrella agreement where, anytime they need some work that we believe is a public benefit, and we have time to do it, they can ask us to give them a price. If everything works out, we would go in and do the work for them.”
Traffic problems at the base can spill out into the community. “We’re bringing about 25,000 people aboard the base every day,” said Marine Corps Base Quantico Base Commander Col. Will Bentley. “Any problem with one of the two main side entrances, for any period of time, will cause a backup out onto I-95, and onto Route 1, so the impact is felt throughout Prince William County. This is really about partnership in particular. We’re part of the neighborhood. Our roads impact Prince William County. People do use the base—people who live out in the town and people who come on the base and even use the base as a transportation mode to get in and around traffic on I-95.”
“When you talk about reconstruction and infrastructure, it helps with transportation. It helps with the ease of transportation. It helps in serving the community from an economic development standpoint. This is not just a one-sided partnership. This is a collective partnership to make sure that we’re serving at a higher level as it relates to economic development,” Bailey said.
The initial project the County will work on is at Russell Road. “Russell Road, which is the southern entrance of the Marine base, right along the Stafford-Prince William line, has an issue with some slope failures, as well as a collapsing pipe,” Smith said.
The base will reimburse the County for the cost to make the repairs to Russell Road and any other future projects.
