Provided by Prince William County
A recent ribbon cutting ceremony noted the completion of the project to widen Route 1 between Mary’s Way and Annapolis Way in Woodbridge.
“The Route 1 widening was completed last fall, but the ongoing pandemic prevented a celebration at the time,” said Prince William Chair-At-Large Ann Wheeler. “Although we might be a few months late and lacking the usual fanfare, Prince William County simply could not allow this remarkable achievement to go by without a proper ribbon cutting.”
The $160-million widening project includes a 10-foot-wide shared-use path along southbound Route 1, a six-foot-wide sidewalk along northbound Route 1, additional turn lanes at the Route 1 and Occoquan Road intersection, a new bridge on Route 1 over Marumsco Creek and a new median on Occoquan Road from Route 1 to just south of Horner Road—all of which will help improve traffic flow.
“This section of Route 1 averages 39,000 vehicles per day, and that number is expected to grow substantially,” said Woodbridge Supervisor Margaret Franklin. “The widening of the road to six lanes and intersection improvements have improved the level of service significantly so residents can spend less time on the road and more time doing what matters most in life.”
The project is part of a years-long effort to improve the length of Route 1 in Prince William County.
“Route 1 is a vital corridor in Prince William County and over $300 million has been invested in widening this roadway in the County over the last 10 years,” Wheeler said. “This project not only improves mobility for our residents and visitors but supports one of the County’s seven small area plans, which are strategically directing growth with a focus on transit-oriented land use, economic development and placemaking to mitigate impacts and maximize the benefits of this growth Countywide.”
The project along Route 1, which runs parallel to Interstate 95, improves traffic for Northern Virginia and the Metropolitan Washington Region and is a “lifeline for the economic vitality of the region,” Wheeler said.
Sen. Scott Surovell, 36th District, Virginia Senate, and Del. Candi Mundon King, 2nd District, Virginia House of Delegates, also attended the ribbon cutting.
“This ribbon cutting is the culmination of significant investment of federal, state, regional and local funding, and over 10 years of collaboration between the state and Prince William County,” Wheeler said.
“It has been a long road to get here, and I am pleased that we can reap the benefits of all the hard work that went into this project,” Franklin said.
Visit the Prince William County YouTube channel to view the ribbon cutting.
