The Virginia Department of Transportation has announced its intention to study the need for a new highway that would terminate in the southeastern part of Loudoun County.
The Tri-County Parkway would give commuters another option to travel from I-66 between Route 15 and Route 28 and vice versa.
Three options are currently under study: Plan A, stretching from 1-66 just west of Bypass 234 to Route 50 west of Route 15; Plan B, originating at the same point but terminating at the Loudoun County Parkway on Route 50 near South Riding; and Plan C, also terminating at Loudoun County Parkway but originating on Bypass 234 near Route 28 in Manassas.
The parkway would be designed to alleviate congestion along the packed I-66 corridor, but some are skeptical that VDOT can pull it off.
"I'm not confident that the parkway as it is comes into South Riding will be realized," said Supervisor Stephen Snow (R-Dulles).
Currently, the Loudoun County Parkway is not prepared to be the collector road for a major highway. It would need to be expanded and upgraded.
"We don't have the proffers," Snow said. "We don't have the money."
At this time, neither does VDOT. As the project is still in the study phases, no funds have been earmarked to make the Tri-County Parkway a reality.
"It remains to be seen where the money would come from," said Ken Wilkinson, project manager for VDOT.
After three public hearings in Manassas, Centreville and Arcola, VDOT will select a single route and provide a more detailed plan prior to additional public hearings on design.
The Loudoun County public hearing on the Tri-County Parkway will be held Wednesday, May, 11 at Arcola Elementary School, 24328 Goshen Road, at 5 p.m.
For More Info
Visit www.virginiadot.org and choose "Projects and Studies."