Active Prince William

Advancing active mobility in greater Prince William, Virginia

Category: Planning (Page 1 of 6)

Our Comments on the Mayfield Crossing Rezoning Application

September 6, 2023 / / 0 Comments

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.

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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.

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Will Prince William’s Road Expansions Bust Our Region’s Climate Goals?

April 5, 2022 /

To lessen catastrophic climate change from the burning of fossil fuels, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) has collectively pledged to substantially reduce our region’s emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) from the level that existed in 2005–by 50% by 2030 and by 80% by 2050.

The major sources of our region’s greenhouse gas emissions.  Transportation (yellow bars) is now the largest single source of our greenhouse gas emissions, comprising at least 40% of the total.

Prince William County and all other localities in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG)–and the associated National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB)–have committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 50% of the 2005 level by 2030.  In the County, the transportation sector–cars and trucks, primarily–is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.   By 2030, there will be more electric vehicles (and a somewhat cleaner electric grid), but most vehicles will still be powered by fossil fuels and emit carbon dioxide from tailpipes.

The County’s traditional business-as-usual transportation planning–expanding highways for drive-alone commutes–would sabotage efforts to meet the 2030 target.  In particular, the proposed Route 28 Bypass would not increase local jobs but would increase solo auto commutes and greenhouse gas emissions.  Spending well over $200 million in County tax revenue on the Route 28 Bypass would subsidize housing and jobs in other localities, while sabotaging efforts to meet our region’s 2030 greenhouse gas target to lessen our global climate crisis.

Instead of building the Route 28 Bypass, the eight members on the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) could plan to meet our region’s 2030 climate target and invest the savings to upgrade local infrastructure to better access local jobs.  What makes the most sense to you?

Below is our recent email exchange with BOCS Chair (and TPB Member) Ann Wheeler.   Active Prince William sent similar messages to Neabsco District Supervisor Victor Angry, Manassas Vice Mayor Pamela Sebesky, and Manassas Park Mayor Jeanette Rishell who also serve on the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB).

From: Active Prince William <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2022 6:46 PM
To: Wheeler, Ann <[email protected]>; Angry, Victor S. <[email protected]>
Cc: Belita, Paolo J. <[email protected]>; Canizales, Ricardo <[email protected]>
Subject: Metropolitan Washington 2030 Climate and Energy Action Plan

Dear Chair Wheeler and Supervisor Angry:

As members of the Transportation Planning Board (TPB), you have an especially important role in sustainability planning and advancing the Metropolitan Washington 2030 Climate and Energy Action Plan.  

Without action by TPB to adopt climate change mitigation goals and strategies, the region will not meet the 2030 and 2050 targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  

Technological changes will not be sufficient; we need policy changes that reduce regional VMT and VMT per capita as well.  Fundamentally, the TPB must adopt targets and policies to reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector.  The impact of new projects in Northern Virginia’s long-range multimodal transportation plan, TransAction, need to be quantified.  Otherwise, how can the 24 jurisdictions in MWCOG meet their 2030 and 2050 targets?

Similarly, each jurisdiction needs to “do the math” regarding planned land use changes.  Transit-Oriented Development can minimize the greenhouse gas emissions that will be increased by population growth.  Those increases must be offset in order to meet the 2030 and 2050 targets, and the impact of changes in land use planning must be quantified. Otherwise, how can the 24 jurisdictions in MWCOG meet their 2030 and 2050 targets?

As noted by the Coalition for Smarter Growth, the 2030 target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 50% below 2005 levels is essential for keeping our planet in the safety zone.  We cannot afford to ignore the cumulative impacts of emissions between now and 2030 and focus only on the 2050 target.

From: Wheeler, Ann <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, Apr 4, 2022 at 1:12 PM
Subject: RE: Metropolitan Washington 2030 Climate and Energy Action Plan
To: Active Prince William <active.princewilliam@gmail.com>, Angry, Victor S. <[email protected]>
Cc: Belita, Paolo J. <[email protected]>, Canizales, Ricardo <[email protected]>

Good afternoon-

Thank you for reaching out to our office.  I have attached the MWCOG plan for achieving GHG reductions.  As you can see on page 11 there will have to be various ways to address this issue and I know both MWCOG and TPB have discussed these at length.  Prince William County is a still growing outer jurisdiction, without Metro, which makes discussion of some of the items you brought up more difficult.  It is my belief that as an outer jurisdiction, with a current heavy reliance on automobiles, we should have a much, much greater focus on electrification of our County-owned fleet as well as encouragement of conversion to EVs through a robust charging infrastructure for our residents.  Even looking at the major activity or transit centers in the west where the housing growth will come from (Broad Run Station, the commuter lot on Route  29 and the commuter lot at Groveton) it will be difficult to get very high density around these three locations for various reasons.   I believe one of the strongest ways to ultimately reduce vehicle miles traveled is to expand our commercial base in Prince William County so people don’t have to commute to their job locations and that is what I am focusing on.  I am sure you will agree that ultimately this is a goal everyone can get behind.

Thank you for you comments as we continue evaluating our land-use and mobility plans to assure our future for the next twenty years.

In service,

Ann Wheeler

From: Active Prince William <active.princewilliam@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Apr 4, 2022 at 6:31 PM
Subject: Re: Metropolitan Washington 2030 Climate and Energy Action Plan
To: Wheeler, Ann <[email protected]>
Cc: Angry, Victor S. <[email protected]>, Belita, Paolo J. <[email protected]>, Canizales, Ricardo <[email protected]><

Chair Wheeler,

Thank you for your response to our message regarding the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.  We certainly agree that “one of the strongest ways to ultimately reduce vehicle miles traveled is to expand our commercial base in Prince William County so people don’t have to commute to their job locations.”

That perspective should shape the county’s investments in new transportation infrastructure.  We should prioritize building new capacity that maximizes mobility while minimizing Vehicle Miles Traveled.  The 2040 Comprehensive Plan should focus on creating walkable communities to accommodate the expanding population.  The County priority for new mobility infrastructure should be expansion of local Omniride and shuttle/trolley services, plus bike/pedestrian connections that anticipate increasing use of e-bikes.

To expand our commercial base and increase local jobs, we should stop funding construction of new lane miles designed for Prince William commuters to leave the county–and for auto commuters who live to our west and south to commute through Prince William County–for jobs in other jurisdictions.  In particular, the county’s $200 million subsidy for the Route 28 Bypass is inconsistent with a priority to expand our commercial base in Prince William County so people don’t have to commute to their job locations.

That project, especially when the destruction of houses in an Equity Emphasis Area is viewed through an equity lens, should be cancelled.  The funding earmarked to repay the $200 million in county bonds, should be re-purposed in a joint venture with the school system to fund the Sustainability Action Plan that the Sustainability Commission will complete in the next year.

###

Occoquan District Transportation Town Hall, March 10, 6:30-8 PM

February 27, 2022 /

From https://occoquandistrict.net/event/mobility-matters-transportation-projects-in-the-occoquan-district/:

A number of projects are in the works to improve mobility in the Occoquan District, making it faster and safer to get where you are going, whether by car, by bike, or on foot. Supervisor Kenny Boddye has invited representatives from Prince William County Department of Transportation to provide residents with updates and answer questions on projects such as:

  • Old Bridge Road/Occoquan Road Realignment (Funded; Design Public Hearing on Feb. 3)
  • Summit School Road Extension (Funded)
  • Old Bridge Road Sidewalk – Tackett’s to Minnieville (Funded)
  • 123/Old Bridge Road Interchange (Under Study)

Click here to register for this Virtual Town Hall and to submit questions in advance. By logging into YouTube during the event, you can also participate in a live, moderated chat. After registering, please let others know about this community conversation!

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