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The VDOT consulting team recently met with Prince William
County Supervisors Wally Covington and John Stirrup
regarding Route 29, as was done with the Fauquier County
Board of Supervisors at its May 14, 2009 work session. One
topic that emerged in Prince William County was the need for
a bypass of the Village of Buckland (National Register) and
the core area of the Buckland Mills (Buckland Races) Civil
War Battle. David Cubbage, Virginia Department of
Transportation Residency Administrator for the Warrenton
Residency, along with VDOT consultant’s (Joe Springer and
Charles Rasnick), will meet with the Board of Supervisors in
work session to discuss such a “Bypass” and other associated
road capacity issues.
Background Information:
Such a “Bypass” was a topic of major interest in the
2006-2007 timeframe. As a result, the
Buckland/Gainesville Bypass Study Report (Rinker Design
Associates; January 31, 2007) was prepared for both Fauquier
and Prince William Counties. The $100,000 study cost was
shared and funded through the VDOT (NOVA and Culpeper
Districts) 2006-2011 Six-Year Improvement Program. There
was a joint Fauquier County/Prince William County Committee,
which included, for example, representatives from VDOT
(Culpeper and Northern Virginia Districts), Prince William
County Supervisors Wally Covington and John Stirrup,
Fauquier County Supervisors Bill Downey and Ray Graham,
Planning Commissioner Holder Trumbo. This combined Committee
reviewed and commented on consultant study drafts.
Since there was no state funding available ultimately for
the required NEPA study of the alternatives, the initial
report was completed with no further action. The Fauquier
County representatives at that time did not offer support
for the report’s alternatives linking I-66 to Route 29
through Fauquier County. Copies of the 3 options presented
in the Buckland/Gainesville Bypass Study Report are
attached for reference purposes.
Prince William County Comprehensive Plan Amendment:
The capacity of Route 29 in the Buckland area has a new
planned restriction. Here it is noted that Prince William
County is in the process of adopting its revised
Transportation and Transit Plan Update (CPA#PLN2008-00202).
It includes major refinements in policies, implementation
requirements and recommended changes in its planned road
network and other modes.
One change affecting Fauquier County is the proposed plan’s
capacity downgrade of Route 29 from a planned 6-lane
“Principal Arterial” to 4-lanes between the Fauquier County
line to the Route 29/Route 15 intersection. This proposed
action and its future results also may be the focus of the
VDOT consulting team. |