Active Prince William

Advancing active mobility in greater Prince William, Virginia

Category: Planning (Page 1 of 7)

Fund a Strategic Countywide Active Mobility Plan Plus $10 Million in Pedestrian, Bicycle, & Trail Improvements in the FY 2025 County Budget

January 20, 2024 /

On January 9, 2024, Active Prince William sent the following message to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors (PW BOCS) to request funding for two items in the FY 2025 County Budget: $3 million to develop a strategic active mobility plan for Prince William County and $10 million to implement active mobility and trail improvements.

Please consider funding the following items in the Prince William County FY 2025 Budget to support elements approved in the Community Energy and Sustainability Master Plan (CESMP).  Strong support was received from BOCS members for two of our recent BOCS candidates’ survey questions about 1) funding an Active Mobility Plan and 2) completing PWC’s planned National Capital Trail Network (NCTN) segments by 2030.

1. Active Mobility Plan  | $3 Million, one-time FY2025 funding line item

Justification: The Active Mobility Plan must be developed to provide a strategic/prioritized effort to enable bike/pedestrian projects identified in the 2040 Mobility Chapter to become projects in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget.

The Active Mobility Plan–for transportation and recreation–must assess the existing pedestrian and bicycle networks within Prince William County and identify gaps to fill that will produce the greatest improvements in overall connectivity. This should include elements such as Complete Streets; Safe Route to Schools, Parks, and other community destinations; and Vision Zero policies and programs; regionally significant trails (NCTN, PHNST, ECG, US Bike Route 1, and the I-66 Parallel Trail); crossings of I-95, I-66, the Bull Run and Occoquan Rivers, and other barriers (highways and railroads); an active roadway reconfiguration program; plus various types of purely recreational trail projects and park sites and identifying the staff capacity to plan, construct, promote, operate, maintain, and rehabilitate all the elements not managed by VDOT.  The plan must also ensure that the County’s future active transportation networks mesh with neighboring networks planned for the City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park, Stafford County, and Fairfax County, in order to create the highest overall level of connectivity region-wide.

We recommend that the county hire an experienced outside consultant team to coordinate the development of this plan and to incorporate a robust public involvement component (e.g., a set of at least two public input opportunities, the involvement of agency staff and citizen work groups [including the existing Trails and Blueways Council], and targeted outreach to low-income, ethnic minority, and immigrant communities.  This would be analogous to how the County developed the CESMP and is planning to implement the SS4A Action Plan grant.

2. Mobility and Recreation Trails (General Fund) | $10 Million (Recommended to be an ongoing budget line item) 

Justification: Sustained General Fund money for trail infrastructure is needed to advance projects through the planning, engineering, right of way, and construction stages.  With over 200 miles of identified missing sidewalks and planned shared-use paths, this sustained funding level is needed to implement the Active Mobility Plan and leverage non-general fund dollars (e.g., TRIP and other developer contributions, VDOT revenue sharing, TAP, HSIP, CMAQ/RSTP, NVTA, USDOT grants, and concurrent highway construction, etc.)

Thank you for considering these requests.

Mark Scheufler & Allen Muchnick, Co-Chairs
Active Prince William
Advancing active mobility for a more livable, equitable, & sustainable greater Prince William, Virginia
Twitter: @Active_PW https://twitter.com/Active_PW

Our Comments for the National Capital Trail Network Update in Greater Prince William

October 31, 2023 /

October 2023 draft update of the National Capital Trail Network in greater Prince William.  The green lines are supposed to depict existing trail segments, whereas the purple lines are supposed to depict “planned” trail segments.

The National Capital Trail Network (NCTN) is a 1,400-mile, continuous network of long-distance, off-street trails, serving the entire [metropolitan Washington] region and consisting of both existing and planned segments.  The network was approved by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) in July 2020 and endorsed by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors in August 2020.

As described by TPB staff:  The National Capital Trail Network is intended to be a network of long-distance, off-street facilities. It will be accessible for people of all ages and abilities, designed for non-motorized use, and suitable for both transportation and recreation.  Off-street path width minimums are 10 feet for new construction, 8 feet for existing paths. Paths must be paved or firm surface. On-street facilities must be protected from moving traffic (i.e. parked cars, curbs, or flexposts). All facilities must be directly connected to the network. Short on-street connections on low-volume, low speed streets are permitted to maintain network continuity. Facilities can be existing or planned, but they must be in an approved agency plan.

In June 2022, the TPB adopted a resolution (R18-2022) that called for completing the TPB’s National Capital Trail Network by 2030, as one of seven priority strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from surface transportation in the Washington region.

For at least several months, the TPB staff have sought to engage the region’s localities to submit updates and corrections to the NCTN map.  The main purpose of this update is to measure progress, in miles built, toward the completion of the National Capital Trail Network since its adoption in 2020. Other purposes include adjusting routes where the existing route has proven infeasible or undesirable, addition of new routes where a new plan or new development justifies it, and correction of errors or omissions in the network [emphasis added].

To facilitate this update, Active Prince William submitted the comments below on October 30, 2023.

Comments on the Draft Update to the National Capital Trail Network Map for Prince William County and the City of Manassas
by Allen Muchnick, Co-Chair Active Prince William

1) Nonexistent/”Planned” Trail Segments Erroneously Labeled As “Existing”:  The following segments on the NCTN map should be relabeled as “planned” because they do not currently exist.

  • Nokesville Rd/Rte 28 between the Fauquier County Line and Fitzwater Dr in Nokesville. The segment of Rte 28 west of Fitzwater Dr in Nokesville has not been widened.  It’s still a two-lane road without any bicycle or pedestrian facilities.
  • Minnieville Rd, between Old Bridge Rd and Dumfries Rd, is depicted as having an existing shared use path along it except for the segment (TIP_ID BP11611) between Fowke Ln and Cardinal Drive. However, the NCTN update map erroneously shows this planned segment with a southwest terminus at Smoketown Rd, rather than at Cardinal Dr.  The segment of Minnieville Rd that currently lacks any bicycle facilities is much longer than shown on the NCTN update map.

2) NCTN Segments Currently Labeled As Planned That Have Recently Been Completed:  The following NCTN segments should now be relabeled as “existing”.

  • Nokesville Rd/Rte 28 Shared-Use Path, between Godwin Dr and the PWC Line, in the City of Manassas (TIP_ID 11606).
  • Godwin Dr Shared-Use Path (south), between Wellington Rd and the Winters Branch Trail, in the City of Manassas (TIP_ID BP11604). Note: TIP_ID BP7624 appears to be a duplicate path, possibly on the PWC side of Godwin Dr, which is probably not actually planned and, if so, should be deleted from the map.
  • US-1 Shared-Use Path in North Woodbridge (southern segment of TIP_ID BP7634): The segment between Annapolis Way and Gordon Blvd is complete.
  • Blackburn Rd Shared-Use Path near Neabsco Creek (the bulk of TIP_ID BP7641): The segment between Rippon Blvd and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is complete.
  • Wellington Rd Shared-Use Path (the western end of TIP_ID 7632): The segment between Linton Hall Rd and University Blvd near Gainesville/Virginia Gateway is complete.
  • VA 234/Dumfries Rd Shared-Use Path (TIP_ID BP7639): This former gap segment between Country Club Dr and Exeter Dr near Montclair is complete.

3) Planned NCTN Segments Depicted On An Erroneous Alignment:

4) Planned NCTN Segments That Should Be Updated: 

  • Manassas Dr east of Signal View Dr in Manassas Park (TIP-ID BP7643): The new Manassas Park Active Transportation Plan identifies an even larger segment of eastern Manassas Dr (between Railroad Dr and Blooms Park) as a candidate for bicycle lanes implemented with a road diet (Project B-10). The NCTN map currently labels the segment of Manassas Dr east of Signal View Dr as planned for a shared-use path.

5) Nationally Significant Long-Distance Trails That Should Be Added to the NCTN Map As “Planned NCTN Segments”:

  • US Bicycle Route 1: At present, a considerable portion of US Bicycle Route 1 through Prince William County is quite hostile to bicycling, even by experienced cyclists.  However, the segments of this route along Fleetwood Dr (Fauquier County Line to Aden Rd), Aden Rd (Fleetwood Dr to Bristow Rd), Bristow Rd (Aden Rd to Independent Hill Dr), Independent Hill Rd (Bristow Rd to Route 234), all of Hoadly Rd, Minnieville Rd (the segment missing a shared-use path from Prince William Pkwy to Fowke Ln), and Old Bridge Rd (Minnieville Rd to Tanyard Hill Rd) are all identified for future shared-use paths in Prince William County’s December 2022 Comprehensive Plan and therefore should be depicted as Planned NCTN segments on the updated NCTN map.
  • East Coast Greenway and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail: Except to depict existing or planned sidepaths along Route 1, the current NCTN map does not depict most of the planned ultimate route(s) for the East Coast Greenway and the paved, shared-use segments of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail through Prince William County.  The updated NCTN map should depict those planned routes.

###

Our Comments on the Mayfield Crossing Rezoning Application

September 6, 2023 /

Our key recommendations for the proposed Mayfield Crossing development are summarized above

On August 28, 2023, a rezoning application (Plan Number: REZ2024-00007; Mayfield Crossing) was submitted to Prince William County for a proposed new residential development at the intersection of Manassas Drive and Signal View Drive, just outside the City of Manassas Park.   The applicant seeks to rezone a forested 20.56-acre parcel adjacent to Signal Hill Park to develop a residential community with up to 288 dwelling units.  On September 5, Active Prince William submitted the following initial feedback on the proposed development:

We have reviewed the Mayfield Crossing Rezoning package [8/28/2023] (corner of Manassas Dr. and Signal View Dr.) posted through the PWC DAPS.  While we are disappointed to see this wooded lot adjacent to the Signal Hill Park be developed, we hope you consider the following comments and feedback as this project moves through the rezoning process.

Our concerns are regarding 1) bike/pedestrian infrastructure along Manassas Dr and Signal View Dr (connection to Signal Hill Park), 2) ingress/egress from the new development, and 3) the viewshed from Signal Hill Park/Signal View Dr.  Above is a diagram of our recommendations which are explained in detail below:

1. Bike/pedestrian infrastructure along Manassas Dr and Signal View Dr (connection to Signal Hill Park)

Below is a diagram of the current language for Pedestrian Circulation in the rezoning package.  The draft Manassas Park Active Transportation Plan calls for a shared-use path along Manassas Dr and a sidewalk along Signal View Dr next to the development.

The applicant’s proposed Pedestrian Circulation Plan

We recommend the applicant construct:

  • A shared-use path along Manassas Dr, from Digital Dr to Signal View Dr.
  • A shared-use path along Signal View Dr, from Manassas Dr to the Signal Hill Park Entrance.

Justification: These recommendations complete the trail segments adjacent to the development and the necessary connections to provide a safe connected bike/ped network to nearby destinations.  A shared-use path along Signal View Dr is more aesthetically pleasing and matches the existing infrastructure along the roadway.  In addition, it reduces the need to cross Signal View Drive in front of Signal Hill Park, which can be a hazard for people walking and bicycling.

2. Ingress/egress from the new development

The current language for ingress/egress in the rezoning package is below:

“The site layout has approximately 950 feet of frontage along Manassas Drive to the north and 800 feet of frontage along Signal Hill Drive. Access to the site is proposed at a full movement entrance along Manassas Drive opposite Christopher Lane and a full movement entrance along Signal View Drive opposite Roseberry Farm Drive.”

The package also indicates right-turn deceleration lanes on Manassas Dr and Signal View Dr. to access the new development

We recommend the applicant construct:

  • Right-In/Right-Out access to/egress from the new development on Manassas Dr with no deceleration lane.  We also recommended that the City of Manassas Park lower the speed limit on Manassas Dr, from Signal View Dr to Railroad Dr, to 25mph.
  • A Single-Lane Roundabout on Signal View Dr at the intersection of Roseberry Farm Dr and the ingress/egress point of the new development.

Justification:  As this area continues to urbanize, we must design our transportation network for all users and not on the elements that enable the fast movement of motorized vehicles.  A 25-mph speed limit would eliminate the need for a deceleration lane on Manassas Dr, whereas the full-movement unsignalized intersection on Manassas Dr proposed by the applicant would create more conflict points that lead to an increase in vehicle crashes.

A roundabout on Signal View Dr would provide much safer ingress/egress for residents of Roseberry Farms as well as residents of the new development.  It would also reduce the speed of vehicles on Signal View Dr and enable an opportunity to create gateway signage to enter Signal Hill Park (Signal Hill Park is on both sides of Signal View Dr.)

3. Viewshed from Signal Hill Park/Signal View Dr

The current illustrations in the rezoning package show limited or no tree buffer along Signal View Dr and along the south side of the development adjacent to Signal Hill Park.

We recommend that the applicant:

  • Maintain a 50’-100’ tree buffer along Signal View Dr (similar to Roseberry Farms)
  • Maintain a 50’-100’ tree buffer along the south side of the development adjacent to Signal Hill Park
  • Bury all utilities along Manassas Dr, from Digital Dr to Signal View Dr
  • Bury all utilities along Signal View Dr adjacent to development (prefer if all utilities could be buried in Signal Hill Park)

Justification:  The viewshed from the Civil War Monument/Entrance to Signal Hill Park along Signal View Dr should be maintained.  See picture below.

The current view from Signal View Drive (from Google Maps Street View)

Thank you for considering these recommendations as the Mayfield Crossing Rezoning project moves through the rezoning process.

###

NoVA Trails Summit, October 20, 2022

August 29, 2022 /

The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) will host a Northern Virginia Recreational Trails Summit on Thursday, October 20, 2022 from 10 am to 2:30 pm at its offices at 3040 Williams Drive, Suite 200, Fairfax VA 22031.

This will be a working meeting to identify opportunities to create connections and improve communities through recreational trails in Northern Virginia.

The Northern Virginia Regional Commission and partner organizations invite all interested jurisdictions and organizations to partner and share thoughts and ideas on how to improve our communities through the coordination and development of trails and parks.

Interested representatives and staff, community organizations, and businesses can register a member or representative.   NVRC and our partners look forward to a diverse and engaging group of attendees and would love to see new faces and hear new voices!  Space is limited, so please register early!

To learn more about NVRC and its role in the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail visit https://www.novaregion.org/299/Potomac-Heritage-National-Scenic-Trail.

Our Comments on PWC’s Proposed Transit Alternatives Map

April 15, 2022 /

Prince William County’s Proposed “Future Transit Alternatives Map” Dated March 17, 2022

On April 15, 2022, Active Prince William submitted the following public comments on the draft “Future Transit Alternatives Map” that defines the public transportation element for the update to Prince William County’s Comprehensive Plan known as “Pathways to 2040”.

1) The Future Transit Alternatives Map needs to identify specific sites for proposed High-Capacity Transit stations that would exist by the year 2040.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments needs to accept those sites on its map of High Capacity Transit Station Areas and to agree that they qualify as “Regional Activity Centers” (using the MWCOG definition of that term), so Prince William’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan is consistent with the Metropolitan Washington Planning Framework for 2030.

Unless specific station sites are identified, the Mobility Chapter will not be integrated with the Land Use and Housing Chapters.  Identifying the planned locations of future VRE and Metrorail stations is required for the Land Use Chapter (including Land Use Map) to specify where new Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) will be planned within walking distance of High-Capacity Transit Stations.  Identifying the planned locations of future VRE and Metrorail stations is required for the Housing Chapter to plan to meet regional housing targets set with MWCOG.

MWCOG’s Regional Housing Targets

2) The Future Transit Alternatives Map should clarify if all projects shown on the map are planned to be completed by 2040.   If some projects will have a longer time frame, then the projects planned to be completed by 2040 should be identified clearly or included on a separate map.  In particular, the proposed extensions of the Metrorail Orange Line and the VRE Manassas Line are redundant, and both are likely unnecessary with the advent of the I-66 Express Lanes.  The Future Transit Alternatives Map should clearly identify that the existing I-95 and imminent I-66 Express Lanes are “existing” High-Capacity Transitways.

Knowing what projects are expected to be built over the next 20 years is necessary so other Comprehensive Plan policies, action strategies, and projects can be budgeted and synchronized.  Maps showing planned roads and trails should also identify projects planned for completion by 2040, plus other aspirational projects using the same approach for transit projects.

3) The Mobility Chapter should include action strategies to acquire right-of-way for the proposed route of the Orange Line to Gainesville or that project should be removed from the map.  Unless located within the I-66 right of way, the right-of-way for the Orange Line extension may require going through Bull Run Regional Park, Manassas National Battlefield Park, and/or high-value commercial properties.  Fairfax County committed almost $60 million to preserve right-of-way along the I-66 corridor for extending Orange Line to Centerville during expansion to create Express Mobility Partners toll lanes, but Prince William preserved no right-of-way–suggesting a proposal for extending the Orange Line to Gainesville is more of a fantasy than an actual plan.

4) If the proposed route of the Orange Line to Gainesville remains on Future Transit Alternatives Map , then the Land Use Chapter should include plans for town centers with T-5 and T-6 Transect Zones at the station locations.

5) The Mobility Chapter should define the southern terminus of the proposed Blue/Yellow Line in eastern Prince William, and that terminus should subsequently be identified in the Visualize 2045, TransAction, and VTrans plans.

6) The Mobility Chapter should include action strategies to acquire right-of-way for the proposed route of the Blue/Yellow Line to Triangle or of the proposed BRT system.

7) The proposed route of the Blue/Yellow Line to Triangle , or of the proposed BRT system, should be clarified so it will be clear what land parcels will be suitable for Transit-Oriented Development.  In particular, it should be clear if the large Potomac Mills site will have a High-Capacity Transit station at one edge, because portions of that property could end up more than one-half mile from a station.

8) The Quartz development at the intersection of Minnieville Road and Prince William Parkway, and the intersection of Dale Boulevard-Minnieville Road should not be designated as “MultiMobile Hubs” if those sites will not have a High-Capacity Transit station.  Bus stops with commuter lots technically might be “multimobile,” but should not be planned for the same level of development as sites with a High-Capacity Transit station.

Proposed “Future Transit Alternatives” for Eastern Prince William County

9) Plans for town centers with T-5 and T-6 Transect Zones should be included in the Land Use Map for all sites in eastern Prince William where a High-Capacity Transit station is planned.

10) Action strategies in the Mobility Chapter should identify how to obtain local, state, and Federal funding for extension of Metrorail to Prince William, creation of a Bus Rapid Transit system and shuttle/trolley systems, and development of infrastructure for the proposed commuter ferry.

11) The Land Use Map should identify where affordable housing is planned within walking distance of planned High-Capacity Transit stations, in order to meet the MWCOG targets.  Families are cost-burdened if housing costs exceed 30% of Area Median Income, but also cost-burdened if housing and transportation costs combined exceed 42% of Area Median Income.

12) The 2040 Comprehensive Plan should quantify the shortage of affordable housing units for families earning 30%, 50%, and 80% of Area Median Income now, and the projected shortage in 2030 and 2040.  The Land Use Map should identify where new affordable housing will be developed by 2030 and 2040 to eliminate the shortage of affordable housing in those three categories, and those locations for new affordable housing should be planned within walking distance of High-Capacity Transit stations.

13) More-detailed shuttle/trolley routes and boundaries of areas where service is planned should be identified on the Future Transit Alternatives Map.  The Mobility Chapter should include an action strategy to complete and update regularly origin and destination studies for proposed shuttle/trolley routes, in order to integrate the Mobility Chapter with other 2040 Comprehensive Plan chapters and with the Comprehensive Plans in the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. Shuttle/trolley routes should be structured to connect Activity Centers as defined by MWCOG and also nodes of existing/planned dense development as shown on the Land Use Map.

14) An action strategy should be included in the Mobility Chapter to identify the year when shuttle/trolley service will become operational, so rezonings and construction plans can be synchronized.

15) If “[s]pecific objectives include adapting to changing mobility trends, improving multi-modal options, increasing the use of public transit, increasing travel time reliability while concurrently striving to decrease the use of vehicle fuels that contribute to climate change,” then the Mobility Chapter needs to add Local and Express Bus Service maps showing areas to be served by bus service and the stages in which that service will be expanded over the next 20 years.  Upgrading local bus service to facilitate access to local jobs, schools, healthcare, retail, and other key destinations for less-advantaged households is at least as essential as extending commuter rail routes that carry white-collar workers out of Prince William. Upgrading low-cost local transit and upgrading bike/pedestrian access offers the greatest opportunity to invest in upgrading equity.  Fairfax Connector Transit Strategic Plan Update offers an understandable format that can be used to support comprehensive plan update effort

16) “High-Capacity Transit”, as identified on this map, should be adequately defined in terms of weekday boardings, peak-period headways, and service hours.  Bus service that operates for fewer than 16 hours on weekdays, has peak-period headways longer than 15 or 20 minutes, or experiences fewer than 500 daily boardings is merely ordinary transit service.

17) The “High-Capacity Transit” lines in the western part of the county, which lack connections to Downtown Manassas, the Manassas Park City Center, the Godwin Drive Technology Corridor, and Sudley Road/Route 234 Business, are missed opportunities.  Recommend coordinating with Omniride which represents the entire Greater Manassas area.

###

« Older posts

Archives

© 2024 Active Prince William

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑