Prince Wiliam Times 09/16/2020

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SPORTS: Q&A with Gainesville High’s director of student activities Jason Eldredge, Page 13

September 16, 2020 | Vol. 19, No. 38 | www.princewilliamtimes.com | 50¢

See PrinceWilliamTimes.com for coronavirus updates

Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.

County reverses course on Va. 28 bypass By Daniel Berti

Times Staff Writer

PHOTO BY DELIA ENGSTROM

A 12-mile stretch of U.S. 1 is now named “Jefferson Davis Highway” along the eastern side of Prince William County.

County moves to rename Jefferson Davis Highway

Supervisor suggests ‘Richmond Highway’ By Daniel Berti

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted last week to keep the Va. 28 bypass alive, reversing course after unanimously rejecting the $300 million road project Aug. 4. All five Democrats on the board voted to endorse the project, while all three Republicans voted against it. The move allows the county to begin designing the new road. The board will have to take another vote on whether to proceed with the construction of the bypass once the design is near completion. See VA. 28, page 5

County board rejects asphalt plant Residents relieved, company ‘moving on’

Times Staff Writer

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted unanimously early Sept. 9 to begin the process of renaming U.S. 1 in Prince William County from Jefferson Davis Highway to “Richmond Highway.” The board voted 7-0 at about 2 a.m. to rename the road. Supervisor Pete Candland, R-Gainesville, was absent from the vote. The decision came after a marathon meeting that began at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8, and included debate and decisions about the Va. 28 bypass and a controversial proposal to build a new asphalt plant near a Manassas elementary school. In Prince William County, Jefferson Davis Highway runs through three magisterial districts and the town of Dumfries. The 12mile stretch of roadway through the county includes approximately 1,000 addresses.

Is the Prince William County seal next? Story on page 2

By Daniel Berti

Times Staff Writer

County staff said the name change is projected to cost between $1.2 million and $5 million. The expense is due to the need to replace existing signage, update building fire panels and make other efforts to mitigate impacts to businesses on the U.S. 1 corridor. If everything goes to plan, the project will likely wrap up in the summer of 2022, county staff members said.

Grassroots activists battling an asphalt plant planned for Manassas breathed a sigh of relief last week after a marathon meeting ended with the Prince William Board of County Supervisors rejecting the $14 million project. After waiting five hours for a vote, dozens of people who opposed the project streamed into the parking lot outside the James J. McCoart building to celebrate just after midnight, Wednesday, Sept. 9.

See HIGHWAY, page 2

See ASPHALT, page 4

INSIDE Classified............................................16 Lifestyles............................................11 Obituaries...........................................15 Opinion.................................................9

PHOTO BY ROGER SNYDER

A proposed Allan Myers asphalt plant would have been 1,300 feet from townhomes in the Kessler Ridge community and 1,450 feet from Mullen Elementary School.

Public Safety.........................................6 Puzzle Page..........................................8 Real Estate..........................................14 Sports.................................................13

88 DULLES, VA

BUILT ON TRUST

AC FauquierTimes_StripAd.indd 1

The $300 million Va. 28 bypass would extend Godwin Drive beyond Va. 234 Business to create a new, four-lane road between West Gate and Loch Lomond that would parallel Flat Branch Creek.

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