Pentagon Releases Millions for Route 1 Improvements
The Department of Defense released $180 million to the Federal Highway Administration to start construction on Route 1.
Photos
The Department of Defense released $180 million on Monday to fund the widening of Route 1 in Mount Vernon through Fort Belvoir.
These funds will go to the Federal Highway Administration to start construction on the widening of Route 1, which will accommodate increased traffic at Fort Belvoir due to the Base Realignment and Closure Act of 2005 (BRAC).
These funds, awarded in November, are part of a $300 million appropriation secured by the Maryland and Virginia delegations for BRAC-related transportation improvements across the country.
BRAC and the recent opening of Fort Belvoir Community Hospital are expected to bring more than 11,000 new DoD employees and 574,000 annual hospital patients onto Route 1, according to a statement issued by Congressman Moran's office.
These funds will be used to widen Route 1 from four to six lanes, from Telegraph Road north to Mount Vernon Memorial Highway. The project will also improve access to Fort Belvoir at Tully Gate and Pence Gate, which serve as the main access points to the new Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and include new bike lanes, pedestrian facilities, drainage and utility improvements.
U.S. Reps. Jim Moran (D-8th) and Gerry Connolly (D-11th), who helped secure the funds, both issued statements Monday.
“Today’s transfer demonstrates the Defense Department’s continued commitment to Ft. Belvoir and the communities impacted by the BRAC relocation,” Moran said in a statement. “The new state of the art hospital at Ft. Belvoir will bring an influx of cars onto an already crowded stretch of road. I am pleased to see this critical project moving forward and on schedule.”
"This is one of the final steps to making BRAC work in southern Fairfax County. The funded improvements will greatly enhance access to Fort Belvoir and make it better for local drivers who travel near the Post daily," Connolly said in a release. "It is the result of ongoing collaboration between our members of Congress, local leaders and the Pentagon to mitigate the massive military relocations as a result of BRAC. We can look forward to breaking ground on this project next year."
Former governor and Senate candidate Tim Kaine (D) released a statement on Monday about the release of the funds:
“Infrastructure investments are one of the proven strategies we should immediately employ to strengthen our national economy,” Kaine said. “These targeted investments put people to work right away and deliver an economic asset that serves a region for decades to come. I’m very happy to see the Department of Defense follow through on the $180 million in infrastructure improvements they promised to Route 1 near Fort Belvoir.
"As Fort Belvoir grows, adequate road infrastructure will be critical to maintaining economic activity and a good quality of life in the area," he said. "I commend our congressional delegation for their good work in securing this important financing and pledge to be a voice for infrastructure investment in the U.S. Senate."
Get Mount Vernon Patch in your email inbox! Go to mountvernon.patch.com/newsletters.
Fan Mount Vernon Patch on Facebook for updates on Route 1 development.
SusanH
11:59 am on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
All well and good but when will Mulligan Road be finished? It seems to have been under construction forever!
Marcia D'Arcangelo
12:53 pm on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
I surely hope that some of this money will be used to not only preserve the land of Woodlawn Plantation to the west of Rt. 1, but also to preserve the stables to the east of the route. Unless, of course, the financial advantage of building more strip malls is more than the Foundation can resist.
Marcia D'Arcangelo
Christine Bowers
1:20 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
I agree with Marcia D'Arcangelo. It seems like whatever the government wants, they get no matter what the cost to private citizens who've spent their lives in a place they call HOME! I think the stress of Ft. Belvoir trying to take away the stables is what pushed Ms. Mitchell to the brink in the last days of her life. What a shame. It's absolutely disgraceful. I certainly hope the stables will be preserved and that future generations will continue the legacy that Ms. Mitchell began long ago.
At what point do you ask yourselves HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH????
Christine Bowers
1:24 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
Funny how there was NO DISCUSSION WHATSOEVER about widening Richmond Hwy UNTIL THE ARMY BROUGHT IN A FEW THOUSAND OF THEIR PEOPLE!
No money for ordinary people's needs but millions and even billions for their own interests. Isn't that JUST like the government? Why are they so much better than everyone else when it's OUR money that comes from working 12 hour days with NO benefits, NO holidays off, NO vacation, etc, that pays for their cushy benefits?!
Racegirl
11:16 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Try living without the Army post here like so many that ended up closing over the last several years. YOU may not have employment or income directly tied to the Army but if the post went away, the areas around it would be economically devastated just like the areas where posts have closed their doors. The Army brings in tons of money to this community including the ability to CREATE the funds to improve the road! And no, I am not Army nor am I dating/married to any Army person but I appreciate the fact that they spend money with neighborhood vendors, employee over 25,000 people on the post alone and support all the food and beverage, hotel rooms and stores in this area.
TR
7:48 pm on Monday, November 12, 2012
Lets not kid ourselves. Fort Belvoir is nice but not essential. The "ecomonic benefit" you cite is of limited value. What we need in SEFC is more economic diversity in order to insulate us from the effects of another BRAC. We have for far too long been the backwater of the county despite a (in my humble opinion) better location. All the development has gone to Tysons Corner in a rather lopsided way. The result has been an over-dependence on the government to base here. As long as that is the case, stories about new signs along route 1 will be our answer to news about the Silver line or an addition of yet another office or shopping complex.