Supervisor looking for help to spruce up Woodbridge

Woodbridge, Va. - Prince William Supervisor Frank Principi, D-Woodbridge, wants your help for Project 2010.

Buoyed by successful cleanup efforts in 2009, Principi would like assistance in identifying 20 projects this year that would make a difference in the Woodbridge community along U.S. 1.

A few of them -- like the Veterans Park, Earth Day and Spring cleanups -- are already penciled in at dates yet to be determined. But as evidenced by the several run-down or blighted buildings on the U.S. 1 corri-dor, there is much work to be done, said Principi.

Groups like the Clean Community Council, the Rotary Club, the Prince William County Park Authority and many other non-profits and businesses have and continue to be integral to the cleanup process, he said.

"To be a successful community project, we need residents, neighborhoods and organizations to participate," stated Principi in an e-mail Wednesday.

Along with the 20 projects planned for 2010, there are 10 buildings on that corridor that have been identi-fied for demolition or have been demolished, said Principi. One of those, a former Chevron service station at the corner of Gordon Boulevard and Jefferson Davis Highway, was recently razed.

Last year, Principi led an effort to spruce up the northern end of Woodbridge with two cleanups at Veterans Park. He also spearheaded an effort to clean up the "Woodbridge Welcomes You" sign on U.S.1 and landscape the area around it.

This year, Principi is planning to landscape the area around the Virginia Railway Express Kiss N' Ride parking lot once construction is completed.

Along with the new lot, VRE is installing a flyover bridge starting on the east side of U.S. 1 and a new platform so that commuters may access either side of the train.

Another goal of Project 2010 is to make companies along U.S. 1 better corporate citizens, said Principi. Many businesses have been responsive to Principi's requests.

One such example is the property that Cowles Ford, a car dealership on Occoquan Road before moving to Noblewood Plaza off Minnieville Road.

"There are tall weeds, graffiti on the building and broken windows," Principi said. "It's an eyesore and we have asked the Cowles family to clean it up."

The county has also done its share of work on the corridor. Code enforcement -- especially regarding busi-nesses -- was stepped up in 2009, said Neighborhood Services coordinator Michelle Casciato.

Last year, the county issued between 10 and 40 violations a weekend. Citing everything from illegal park-ing to illegal signage, the county has taken a proactive approach on U.S. 1 in recent years, said Cas-ciato.

For more information on how to be involved with the 2010 Project, call 703-792-4646 or e-mail wood-bridge@

pwcgov.org.

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