Jill Ward worries about the traffic a new commuter lot in southern Stafford County would generate. Mark Westall wants to make sure the construction project won’t impair a local business.
And David Lesser? He thinks there should be even more parking spaces built.
They were among a handful of visitors last week to a Virginia Department of Transportation meeting about work on and around U.S. Route 17 near Interstate 95.
VDOT plans to build a $24.1 million commuter lot along Olde Forge Drive near the road’s intersection with Route 17. It would include parking for about 500 vehicles with lighting, a bicycle rack, a dedicated area for transit arrivals and departures with a passenger shelter, and a pickup and dropoff lane for carpools and vanpools.
The agency also proposes improving the intersection of U.S. 17 Business in Stafford at Olde Forge and RV Parkway. That would include widening U.S. 17 with a dedicated southbound right turn lane onto Olde Forge and realigning RV Parkway to intersect with Olde Forge at 17.
New traffic signal equipment would be installed at the new four-way intersection — including pedestrian crossings — and the existing sidewalk would be upgraded. Also, a 5-foot-wide sidewalk would be built along 17 from Short Street to Olde Forge and would continue for about 600 feet east of Olde Forge.
This work is estimated to cost $11.5 million.
The projects were recommended as a result of the I-95 Corridor Improvement Plan in 2021, which identified key areas in the region for commuter lots, said VDOT Project Manager Jessica Graves.
“This was a prime location for a park-and-ride, at Olde Forge, near the exit 133,” Graves said.
Construction is scheduled to start in April 2028 and be done by mid-2029, and no businesses or residences would be displaced because of it, Graves said.
The new park-and-ride lot east of I-95 would help offset about 450 parking spaces that recently closed in another commuter lot on U.S. 17, west of I-95.
VDOT is building two salt storage facilities in the rear portion of that lot to support snow-removal efforts during winter weather. Construction began in January and is expected to be complete in October, so the buildings will be operational in time for winter.
Each building can hold up to 7,000 tons of salt, and up to 40,000 gallons of brine will be stored nearby in a project that costs $4.8 million. About 600 parking spaces remain open during construction and will be open for public use after the salt storage buildings are complete.
Ward is concerned about the drivers who will use the new commuter lot, though.
“I worry about the impact for traffic on Olde Forge, specifically,” she said.
It’s already pretty busy there because of a new subdivision.
“Some days, some mornings it gets really, really backed up at the light to get out onto 17,” said Ward, who lives on Olde Forge Drive.
Westall, meanwhile, owns land on U.S. Route 17 that he leases to automotive dealer Car City.
“I’m just trying to make sure through all of this that the tenant is going to be able to have access to be able to do business,” he said. “That’s the biggest concern that I have.”
Lesser, who owns the property where the new commuter lot would be, said he’s convinced that it won’t be big enough. With new apartments and townhouses in the area, he thinks VDOT should be building more spaces.
“There’s more ground,” said Lesser, who owns a total of 16 acres. “They need more than 500 spots.”
Stafford County Supervisor Deuntay Diggs said he thinks the work on 17, also known as Warrenton Road, will be worthwhile.
“My main goal is the revitalization of Warrenton Road,” said Diggs, who represents the George Washington District.
When people get off 95, he wants them to see nice restaurants and stores, places where they can do things as a family.
“So coming into office, that was my conversation with economic development, and I think this will help drive that,” Diggs said.
He welcomes sidewalk extensions as part of the work, and he said that he recognizes that some constituents may question government making it easier for residents to commute. Why not help those people get jobs in Stafford instead?
“But the reality of it is,” said Diggs, “is that even those constituents that commute, they still pay into Stafford.”
And helping to take cars off the highway will benefit the community overall, he said.
“It really is an answer to the congestion,” Diggs said.
For more information on the project, see vdot.virginia.gov/oldeforgedriveparkandride. Public comments on the project will be accepted through Friday.
