Bi-County Parkway: Myths and Realities
(also known as the Tri-County Parkway, Northern Extension to Rte 234, Outer Beltway)
The Bi-County Parkway is a proposed 10-mile highway that is part of the 45-mile long corridor that would connect I-95 in Prince William County to the back of Dulles Airport in Loudoun County, traveling through a part of Manassas National Battlefield Park and the Rural Crescent.
Myth 1: Those opposed to the proposed Bi-County Parkway are opposed to growth
Reality: Prince William County's population will continue to grow. Since 1988, the Prince William County Comprehensive Plan has answered that question clearly. New development is encouraged in the Development Area, where public facilities such as schools, sewers, fire stations, and roads will be concentrated. A Rural Area is designated for agricultural and large lot (10 acre) housing. The county's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is based on the decision to steer new development to the Development Area.1 Keep reading...
Myth 2: The proposed road will reduce traffic congestion
Reality: 95% of all Prince William workers who commute outside the county go to locations other than Loudoun County. The Bi-County Parkway is a road to the west side of Dulles, but jobs are east of the airport. The Bi-County Parkway will do nothing to reduce congestion on the major commuter routes: I-66, Route 28, Route 123, and I-95. Keep Reading...
Myth 3: The proposed road will stimulate economic development in Prince William County
Reality: The #1 reason presented by VDOT to build the Bi-County Parkway in that corridor was “Support Economic Growth.” The #1 item listed to support that justification was “Ensure adequate capacity and access to allow for projected growth at Dulles International Airport area.”1 Note the location: Dulles. The proposed Bi-County Parkway may enhance economic development, but if so… Loudoun County will get the benefits, not Prince William County. Keep Reading...
Myth 4: Dulles is an economic engine, so building the Bi-County Parkway is the best way to spur more economic activity at Dulles.
Reality: VDOT trumpets that Dulles airport generates $10 billion annually in economic activity.1 How much more economic activity at Dulles would result from building the Bi-County Parkway? what alternative investments, for the same amount of money as building the Bi-County Parkway, would generate even more economic activity at Dulles - or in Prince William County? No data has been provided by VDOT or Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to answer either question. Keep Reading...
Myth 5: The proposed Bi-County Parkway will be a toll-free road.
Reality: Funding sources for the road will become clear only after the Commonwealth Transportation Board updates the Six-Year Improvement Program to spend $5.9 billion for transportation over the next five years, including new revenues approved by the General Assembly in 2013.1 Keep reading...
Myth 6: The proposed road will conserve history
Reality: Building a four-lane (or eight-lane) highway through a national park, and an official Historic District adjacent 210to the park, can not be described as a plus for historic preservation. In practice, the National Park Service will sacrifice one slice of history in order to improve another. Keep reading...
Myth 7: The proposed road will create a substantial number of freight-related jobs at Dulles airport
Reality: Most air freight coming into Dulles is destined for the DC-area market, or to be re-loaded from international/domestic flights to reach final destinations. The claim that the Bi-County Parkway will generate new freight-related jobs at Dulles is based on the assumption that faster ground connections will attract new cargo that will be loaded onto trucks for shipment to destinations west of the airport. Left unstated is what markets would be served by such freight traffic, and the volume of that traffic. Keep reading...
Myth 8: The proposed road will affect only western Prince William County
Reality: In addition, converting the current road to a throughway would limit the ability of residents to make intra-county trips. Funds that might be spent to add left turn lanes at clogged intersections, synchronize stoplights, or make spot improvements to improve traffic flow within Prince William will be diverted to expand Route 234 into a major truck route. The beneficiaries will be trucking companies, not residents of Prince William. Keep reading...
Myth 9: The proposed road will have no impact on expansion of VRE or other transit options in western Prince William County
Reality: Even with the additional taxes providing funding for new road construction, which were approved by the General Assembly in 2013, there will always be limited funding for all the proposed transportation projects across the state. Keep reading...
Myth 10: The VTRANS2035 Plan and the designation of the North-South Corridor of Statewide Significance justifies construction of the Bi-County Parkway.
Reality: The Outer Beltway, Tri-County Parkway, and other road proposals extending 234 Bypass north have been gestating for decades. The designation of a North-South Corridor of Statewide Significance was an after-the-fact effort to provide a patina of justification to a decision that had already been reached before a public vote was held. Keep reading...
Myth 11: The public will fund the Bi-County Parkway, and the public will get the benefits from the road.
Reality: VDOT claims the proposed road will speed up the economic engine at Dulles. If there are benefits, the private businesses at Dulles will reap most of them. Keep reading...
Myth 12: Prince William County needs to authorize more land for development, as well as build the Bi-County Parkway.
Reality: Right now, there is capacity to absorb at least 20 years of projected residential growth within the county, and perhaps 50-100 years of anticipated commercial growth within the Development Area. Keep reading...
Myth 13: Opponents of the Bi-County Parkway want to restrict housing options, and force everyone to live in a high-rise tower in an urban setting.
Reality: A wide variety of options remain for building single-family residences throughout Prince William County. If anything, road opponents are seeking to preserve options for large-lot rural housing, rather than restrict the housing choices of new residents. Keep reading...
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