Provided by Prince William County
The Virginia Railway Express is looking for comments on its Gainesville-Haymarket Extension, or VRE GHX, Study and will be holding a community meeting from 6:00-8:00 p. m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7, to get input from commuters and county residents. The meeting will be held at Piney Branch Elementary School at 8301 Linton Hall Road in Brentsville.
Those who attend the meeting will be able to comment on the final draft alternatives to be considered by the VRE Operations Board. The alternatives, based on previous public comments and study analysis, represent the best options to expand the VRE Manassas Line to Gainesville and on to Haymarket, according to a VRE press release.
The alternatives examine a VRE extension along the Southern Railroad Line, as well as the relocation of the Broad Run Station to a new location in the Godwin Drive area in Manassas. All of the alternatives would increase the frequency of trains from every 30 minutes to approximately every 20 minutes during morning and evening commute times, the release stated.
The study, which VRE initiated in 2015, is a critical step toward establishing the Manassas Line expansion and enhancing VRE options for regional travel. If the analysis warrants continued project development, final design and construction will proceed, with passenger rail operations to begin in 2022 or later.
Prince William County is cooperating with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, Norfolk Southern Railway and other stakeholders to conduct the study that builds upon information gained from other studies within the GHX and Interstate 66 corridors. The study includes preliminary engineering, assessments of potential environmental impacts and design work, according to the release.
Visit vre.org/ghx to see the presentation on project goals, operating costs, preferred alternatives, potential station and yard sites, ridership and mobility benefits, track arrangement, service plans, ridership forecasts and financial plans.
