Enlarged Dumfries lot to open

Nearly three-and-a-half years after construction began, the newly expanded commuter lot in Dumfries officially opens today.

A group of local politicians and county officials will be in the lot at 11 a.m., at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Va. 234, for a public ribbon cutting heralding its expansion.

A total of 140 spaces were added to the lot, adding to the 320 already there. Funding for the project -- $6,090,000 -- was paid for by Prince William County taxpayers, but will be refunded by the state thanks in part to a funding agreement by state Del. Jeff Frederick in 2005.

"Commuters -- and specifically, sluggers -- have been using this lot for years, and for years it has been overflowing in the very early hours each morning. So, going in to the 2005 session, my top goal was to provide more commuter parking for eastern Prince William citizens," stated Frederick in an e-mail.

The expanded lot also comes complete with a new entrance to the lot from U.S. 1, intersecting with Wayside Drive.

Many of those who use the lot hail from the Spotsylvania, Stafford and Fredericksburg areas. Some commuters said they enjoy the lot's proximity to the terminus of the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes at Dumfries, as it makes it easier for them carpool with others.

Initial construction on the project was to begin in January 2008, but was stalled when county transportation officials encountered problems with acquiring additional land to expand the lot.

The project also took a hit when a land developer eyeing to build houses on nearby land defaulted, and money which was to come in the form of proffers never showed up.

Construction on the lot finally began earlier this year and was finished in October.

"When commuters pull in to the lot is it our hope they will be able to find an area that they will utilize that will make their commute a little easier, and something that may not as difficult to use as it once was because of all of the additional spaces we've added," said Jeff Raines of the Prince William County Department of Transportation.

In March, many commuters parked their cars on a hillside at the lot because of the lack of parking spaces there. Some drivers also used a dirt road along the periphery of the lot to ensure they would be able to get a carpool, or used one of the multiple OmniRide commuter buses that serve the lot.

Prince William County is also home to the state's largest commuter parking lot, known as the Horner Road lot, at Prince William Parkway and Interstate 95.

The Horner Road lot regularly filled to capacity with cars while less than a mile north on Interstate 95, another commuter lot at Va. 123 goes widely unused. A new commuter bus service from Woodbridge to Tysons Corner launched this month named the underused lot as a bus stop along its route, in efforts to get more drivers to park there.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.