Early Thursday morning Jan. 8, I parked on Interstate Drive near the Va. 234 commuter lot.
I have never seen so many cars parked on Interstate Drive at 6:30 a.m.
When I returned to my car at 6 p.m. it was ticketed for a parking violation.
It was then that I noticed a “no parking” sign. I was parked on the correct side of the street in the direction of the flow of traffic, but was in the no parking zone.
Why is there a no parking zone that far down Interstate Drive? There’s basically nothing there to disrupt by parking.
I don’t get it.
Frank Chandler
Woodbridge
Dear Frank,
It seems the Va. 234 commuter lot has been well talked about in recent months, especially from some commuters who are crying out for its expansion.
We took your question about parking near the lot to Mike Salmon at the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Salmon said VDOT was requested to review this area by the Prince William Police Department. At the time of their review, there were vehicles parking on the roadway and at a 90 degree angle to the roadway, making travel difficult.
VDOT posted signs along Interstate Drive where it was not possible to park without encroaching on the travel lanes.
Salmon said VDOT did leave parking in the areas where a vehicle could park fully on the shoulders.
It is illegal to park blocking a lane of travel, the signs we posted were reinforcing that section of the Code of Virginia, Salmon added.
So overall it looks like the signs were posted for safety reasons, and anyone wanting to address them should take it up with Prince William County officials.
Please send questions about transit to: Lane Ranger, c/o News & Messenger, P.O.Box 2470, Woodbridge, VA 22195 or e-mail laneranger@insi denova.com.
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