Drivers in southern Stafford County will need to take a detour beginning in spring 2027 as work is done to improve train service in the area.
The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VRPA) will be replacing the Leeland Road overpass to make room for a third railroad track under it. The $24 million project is expected to last about 22 months.
The third track will be four miles long and is planned to begin about three miles south of the Virginia Railway Express’ Brooke Station. It will end about a mile north of the Fredericksburg Station, just past Dahlgren Junction.
The track will allow trains traveling in opposite directions to meet and pass each other, as well as for faster passenger trains to pass slower freight trains going in the same direction. The improved capacity also will allow for future VRE night and weekend service.
The third-track work will cost a total of $157 million but will not affect the Leeland Road VRE Station.
Press the Issue
To comment on the project, fill out an online form or email [email protected] with “Leeland Road Overpass” in the subject line. VRPA will accept comments through Sept. 28.
The Leeland Road bridge will be constructed over the existing CSX tracks, about 330 feet east of the VRE station. It will increase horizontal and vertical clearance to allow not only the third track — but also a potential future fourth track.
The VPRA decided to completely close the existing bridge instead of doing the work in phases to reduce costs, minimize the impact to surrounding properties and shorten construction duration, officials said Wednesday night at a public hearing at Conway Elementary School in Stafford County.
“We think this would be the more efficient way to build the bridge,” project manager Jon Griffin said at the hearing. “We could do stage construction, but that would add multiple months to the construction duration. We also think it will reduce costs because the longer the construction project goes on, the more costly it becomes.”
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has approved two detour routes for use during the Leeland work. One is geared toward passenger vehicles. It will result in an increase of about a mile and a half and is slated to add three minutes of travel time.
A second route has been mapped out for trucks. That detour will add about 10 miles or 14 minutes of travel time.
Nearby residents who attended the meeting pointed out that traffic in the neighborhood is already bad, before any other work is done.
Matt Fleetwood said his main concern with the overpass project is the car detour from Morton Road to Primmer House Road. He suggested putting a temporary traffic signal at the intersection of the two roads.
Anyone who lives in the area knows what morning traffic is like coming down Leeland to Primmer House, Fleetwood said.
“It’s like [Interstate] 95. It’s just a steady line of traffic. You’ll never get out,” he said.
VDOT spokeswoman Kelly Hannon, who attended Wednesday’s hearing, said afterwards that the agency can explore installing a temporary traffic light.
“We can review that and see if that’s warranted,” she said.
Area resident Ernie Lee said one of his major concerns is truck traffic, and he noted that VDOT having a recommended truck detour route was understandable.
“Morton Road was barely handling the traffic 20 years ago, with trucks being able to get over to the landfill,” he said. “So it’s going to be a real fight after 20 years, and, believe me, around here traffic doesn’t go away.”
Griffin said project officials will be on the case looking for the best way to handle landfill traffic. Their intent was for trucks to use the recommended detour.
“But,” added Griffin, “if there’s a more viable solution, [then] we will explore it.”
