From VDOT:
THREE MAJOR PARKWAYS NOW PRIMARY ROADS
New route numbers and funding for Fairfax County, Prince William, and Franconia-Springfield parkways
FAIRFAX—The Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the transfer yesterday of the Fairfax County Parkway, Prince William Parkway and Franconia-Springfield Parkway to primary roads, making them eligible for new funding and maintenance priorities.
As primary roads, the routes can receive federal funding for paving, guardrail, bridge improvements and other projects. Federal funding typically covers 80 percent of the cost to maintain interstates and primary roads, with the remaining 20 percent from state funds.
The Fairfax County Parkway (Route 7100), which runs from Route 1 to Route 7, will be renamed Route 286. The 32-mile road carries between 22,000 and 75,000 vehicles per day.
The Franconia-Springfield Parkway (Route 7900), which runs from Beulah Road to the Fairfax County Parkway, will be renamed Route 289. The 4-mile road carries between 53,000 and 57,000 vehicles per day.
The Prince William Parkway (Route 3000), which runs from Route 1 to Route 234, will be renamed Route 294. The 16-mile road carries between 25,000 and 54,000 vehicles per day.
Bet you know right where they are taking about, right? NOT!!! I am still not sure what to call things. We have 3 sections of road that people call, rightly or wrongly, the Prince William Parkway. The original ‘parkway’ is the Kathleen Seefeldt Parkway. It goes from Davis Ford Crossing to Route 1. The final leg of that stretch of road was not part of the original. I drove the original ever day for what seems like years and it ended right on the other side of I-95 near York Drive.
Then we have the stretch of road that goes from I-66 to I-95. Now part of that road from I-66 to signs that say Dumfries Road used to be called Prince William Parkway. It also used to be called the Manassas By-pass. I am not sure of its real name. Dumfries Road, which is a contination of that road I just spoke of ….is easy to miss. You have to turn off to stay on the Parkway and you have to go straight to change the name of the road. How confusing is that?
ARRRGGGHHHHH! Not all the GPS devices get it right either. A good friend of mine sat for hours waiting for the police. She had been involved in a wreck with someone who didn’t have a license or insurance and she thought she was on Prince William Parkway which she drove every day of her life. Apparently not. The police finally found her. It was a good thing that she wasn’t critically injured.
The name situation in this county is confusing and just plain dangerous. We need to name these sections of road real NAMES to distinquish one part from the other and post it clearly. I propose, right now, to keep Seefeldt Parkway as is. We all know that name. It isn’t on the maps now but it has been named that for over 20 years. Those of us who don’t know it, can learn it. Next, for the stretch between Dumfries Road and I-66, let’s name it the Corey Parkway, after our esteemed chairman. If we name it Corey….we know he will act on it. Corey can be short for “Corridor.” ” Yes, I am driving on the Corey……”
We seriously have some road name issues in this county and we are speaking of major roads that cut across county. No one knows where they are–ever. It’s dangerous. So if we start off on the Corey Parkway, we can get to the Dumfries and Quantico on Dumfries Parkway and we can get to Occoquan and Woodbridge on the Seefeldt Parkway.
There is some stretch of road out there named Reagan something or other. Ok folks. News flash. Reagan wasn’t God. I am tired of things being named Reagan. (and Martin Luther King, now that I think about it. Its like having 6 kids and naming them all Buster.) Let’s be BOLD and go with the Corey Plan. I don’t even know where the Ronald Reagan strip of road is. I would be pleased to name a stretch of road after Corey Stewart if it would end the confusion. Why did I chose Corey? I want it done and I figure there has to be a carrot in there. My first choice would be the common sense thing–name the straight road from I-66 to I-95 Prince William Parkway and keep the dog leg from Davis Ford Crossing to Route 1 named the Kathleen Seefeldt Parkway. I guess that is too simple.
I don’t care what the state names them. Just maintain the roads. We can choose our own names. How about it, folks? See you on the Corey…..Meanwhile, you can’t get here from there.
I remember when I first moved here. I came to an intersection where I was pretty sure three or four different Price William County Parkways all came together at once. I was thinking “how the hell am I supposed to know where to turn at this freakin’ intersection?!” Now they’re gonna rename it. Oh hell, go ahead, I didn’t know where I was anyway.
hmmmm, I think there is some underlying reason for all this, and not anything good for PWC by the way. I know that Sean C is looking to turn the western end of PWC into a massive highway called the outer beltway.
And if we name it the Corey Parkway he won’t let that happen.
How about it Corey? Email me. Hell, you can even put your picture up. Slowpoke says it best…hell go ahead, we didn’t know where we were anyway.
I just looked at a google map. the Kathleen Seefeldt Parkway isnt on there. Its called the Prince William Parkway. People, we have to fix this. Not only is Prince Billy Bob the laughing stock but no one can find their ass with both hands once they get here.
If we’re saving money by doing this will my taxes go down?
Well, think about it…the feds pick up 80% and the state picks up the rest.
Pay me now or pay me later.
Why do you hate taxes so? I mean none of us like paying them…it is in our DNA but most of us realize there is no free lunch also. the roads don’t maintain themselves.
Are Slowpoke and I the only people who can’t tell you the name of a road?
No, I can’t either.
When someone mentions PW Pkwy (I refuse to call it the KS Pkwy) I automatically assume they’re talking about the section from I95 upto Manassas at the intersection with Harris Tetter.. I don’t acknowledge any other ‘parts’ of it.
“Why do you hate taxes so?”
Because it’s an American tradition to do so. I acknowledge that I have to pay a tax but I argue the extent of which and what it goes to pay. For example, why should a guy in Iowa have to pay for a road in Prince William County? How does it benefit him? Why am I as a resident of PWC paying for a fire truck in Wyoming?
The idea here is that the federales will be paying 80% and state will be paying 20%. Meaning that the county/state are saving money by paying less to maintain this road. Why don’t I get a cut of that? If they’re saving money and I’m the taxpayer why doesn’t my debt load go down?
Why don’t you call it the KS Parkway? I don’t either but that’s because I forget that is its name. Not even sure it still is. Do you have a problem with the lady?
Ok, American tradition I can buy….but to a point.
Your debt load doesn’t go down because of that fire truck you bought in North Dakota.
So if I follow your line of thinking, I should be paying more locally and less nationally?
If they’re going to sell naming rights to structures, why not roads? Coca-cola Blvd? I see a potential for MILLIONS.
@Cargosquid
I don’t see an issue with that. If we can reduce the cost to the taxpayer because a corporation wants to name a street, building, road, highway, whatever after themselves. Awesome. I used to work on EDS Drive in Hernon. 😉
“Why don’t you call it the KS Parkway?”
I have an issue with naming of something after government officials while they are alive. Why not name it for every taxpayer that was bent over to pay for it?
I don’t have a problem with the lady. I also refuse to call 234 the RR Memorial Highway.
“Your debt load doesn’t go down because of that fire truck you bought in North Dakota.
Right. My debt load goes up because of it. My federale taxes I pay here go to buy that firetruck or a bridge to no where. If we removed those purchases and we didn’t spend that money at the federal level and had a smaller, leaner government my tax debt load decreases and I can buy more stuff at Wal-Mart or wherever I please.
“So if I follow your line of thinking, I should be paying more locally and less nationally?”
It could work out that way. At a federal level I should be paying less because the feds shouldn’t be paying for stuff they have no business in paying for. Leave it to the states and cities/counties to buy the stuff they want and need. The states/cities/counties need to figure out what are true needs and wants and tax accordingly. If they screw up and tax too highly people will move and crush the taxbase. You see that happening in CA where people of means have moved to Nevada to escape CA taxes.
If I were Governor one thing that I would do is put a billboard on the VA side of the Wilson Bridge that says: This is your tax bill in Maryland. This would be your tax bill in Virginia. Think of the money you could save if you switched.
@Moon-howler
I guess you could name some part of it the “Corey Stewart Parkway” as long as it didn’t go anywhere.
@George S. Harris
Now is that what we really want? 😈 👿
I’m kind of partial to the “Corey Stewart Roundabout”