County leaders, businesses asked to join effort to spruce up Woodbridge

Those who have lived in Woodbridge for a while probably have heard the area’s nickname, and it’s not flattering.

“Hoodbridge” is a slang term for Woodbridge and at some point, it even made it onto the community’s welcome sign at the corner of Annapolis Way and U.S. 1.

A black spray-painted H can still be seen behind the W on Woodbridge for those that look hard enough. That letter — and more importantly that reputation — is something that Prince William County Supervisor Frank Principi, D-Woodbridge, wants to wipe clean.

Enter Shear Scapes Inc., an eastern Prince William County-based landscape company that is giving the welcome sign and the area around it a free facelift as part of the The Professional Landcare Network’s National Day of Service.

On Wednesday morning, workers trimmed back a holly tree and removed a row of hedges that partially blocked the bottom of the sign — which was constructed in 1991. In its place, workers planted a variety of bushes, annuals and perennials and will maintain the signage area on an annual basis.

On Friday, they will powerwash the sign in an effort to remove graffiti that is still visible on both sides of the sign.

Cecilia Riek-Whitman, who works for The Professional Landcare Network, said April is National Lawncare Month and that Wednesday’s job just so happened to dovetail nicely with the celebration of Earth Day. Riek-Whitman said more than 2,000 businesses across the nation participated in cleanup/landscape- oriented projects Wednesday.

Shear Scapes’ cleanup is also an example of the many concerted efforts by residents, businesses and county organizations to clean up the U.S. 1 corridor this year.

Shear Scape and Principi,  along with the Woodbridge Potomac Communities Civic Association, are spearheading a cleaning effort that started a few weeks ago on Neabsco Road and will continue throughout the spring and summer.

“We knew there was a great push for revitalization of Route 1 and this is a great place to start because it’s the beginning of Woodbridge,” said Shear Scapes vice president Nancy Marouf, who estimated the project will cost the company at least $2,000.

“The past several years has seen the Route 1 corridor through Woodbridge become aesthetically challenged,” Principi said on his Web site, newwoodbridge.org. “Much of this can be contributed to road improvements and development projects that have been postponed due to the current economic situation. But the community and the residents are ready for change to begin now.”

On Saturday, the Prince William Park Authority and Prince William Service Authority will host a cleanup of Veterans Park from 8 a.m. to noon.  Veterans Park is located a few miles south of the sign, off Featherstone Road near the Potomac River.

Principi is also calling for residents, businesses, churches and civic groups to clean up the area along the east side of U.S. 1 from the VRE construction site north to the railroad bridge May 16.

On the same day, Hilda Barg Homeless Prevention Center Aftershare participants will help clean up the area between Delaware Drive and Port Potomac on U.S. 1.

“With resident support too, we can go further south (or north),” said prevention center director Gayle Sanders in an e-mail Monday.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-878-8062.