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The National Park Service and the Virginia Department of Transportation are nearing an agreement on a road around the Manassas National Battlefield Park.
Park superintendent Ed Clark said the target date to complete the as-yet-unfunded, $305-million Battlefield Bypass is 2035.
Clark said the current plan is for the bypass to begin where Va. 234 ends at Interstate 66 and continue across U.S. 29 and on to Pageland Lane at the park’s western border. The road would then continue to Catharpin, where it would cross four acres at the park’s northwest border. The road would then run into Fairfax County to meet with the Tri-County Parkway.
In exchange for crossing land in the park, the Virginia Department of Transportation is prepared to allow the National Park Service to close two major roads that currently go through the 5,000-acre battlefield park.
“Our goal is to get the traffic out of the battlefield and do the best job to preserve the battlefield that we possibly can,” Clark said. “The goal of the Battlefield Bypass is to close 234 and 29 as soon as the road is completed.”
Clark said he recognized that Va. 234 and U.S. 29 were major thoroughfares, but said they detracted from the battlefield.
“These roads are a vital part of the Northern Virginia transportation network, but they also are in the battlefield, which is hallowed ground and a major tourism attraction ... which is very, very important to our nation’s history,” he said. “The heavy traffic is detrimental to the battlefield.”
Earlier this year, the Federal Highway Administration added the nine-mile-long bypass to its list of long-range projects. The bypass was up for consideration in 2005, but was not included on the list then, Clark said.
By including the project in its plans, the administration opened the door for negotiations on the project to begin.
Virginia Secretary of Transpiration Sean T. Connaughton said there is already development surrounding the battlefield and project costs will only increase as time goes on.
“Now we’re looking at much more expensive solutions to things that, quite honestly, we could have built much more economically years ago,” Connaughton said. Clark agreed. “The problems get worse and the solutions get more expensive and narrower in the options we have,” he said.
Clark said the park service and VDOT have included several preservation groups, such as the Civil War Trust, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Piedmont Environmental Council, the Southern Environmental Law Center and Coalition for Smarter Growth, in conversations about the bypass.
“We really are working very well with both VDOT and these preservation groups. We’re listening and being very proactive and open,” Clark said. “It’s extremely important to have these groups at the table and a part of the conservation.”
Morgan Butler, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center which is headquartered in Charlottesville , said his organization was “very much in favor” of closing Va. 234 and U.S. 29, which he said detracts from the park.
“We’re very concerned about the proposal for the Manassas Battlefield Bypass. While we certainly share the goal of closing routes 234 and 29 where they currently bisect the park, we think that the solution doesn’t need to entail building an entirely new four-lane highway around the remaining borders of the park,” Butler said.
The center’s preference would be to upgrade existing roads, but keep them to two lanes, Butler said.
“They would be able to sufficiently handle the traffic that’s currently going through the park,” he said.
Clark said the agreement between VDOT and the park service is out for comment from the preservation groups.
“They have the ability to sign on ... to continue to be a part of the process,” Clark said.
Connaughton said finalizing the agreement depends on several other entities as well.
“Everything depends on what we work out with the park service, as well as Loudoun and Prince William counties,” he said.
Senior reporter Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.
Park superintendent Ed Clark said the target date to complete the as-yet-unfunded, $305-million Battlefield Bypass is 2035.
Clark said the current plan is for the bypass to begin where Va. 234 ends at Interstate 66 and continue across U.S. 29 and on to Pageland Lane at the park’s western border. The road would then continue to Catharpin, where it would cross four acres at the park’s northwest border. The road would then run into Fairfax County to meet with the Tri-County Parkway.
In exchange for crossing land in the park, the Virginia Department of Transportation is prepared to allow the National Park Service to close two major roads that currently go through the 5,000-acre battlefield park.
“Our goal is to get the traffic out of the battlefield and do the best job to preserve the battlefield that we possibly can,” Clark said. “The goal of the Battlefield Bypass is to close 234 and 29 as soon as the road is completed.”
Clark said he recognized that Va. 234 and U.S. 29 were major thoroughfares, but said they detracted from the battlefield.
“These roads are a vital part of the Northern Virginia transportation network, but they also are in the battlefield, which is hallowed ground and a major tourism attraction ... which is very, very important to our nation’s history,” he said. “The heavy traffic is detrimental to the battlefield.”
Earlier this year, the Federal Highway Administration added the nine-mile-long bypass to its list of long-range projects. The bypass was up for consideration in 2005, but was not included on the list then, Clark said.
By including the project in its plans, the administration opened the door for negotiations on the project to begin.
Virginia Secretary of Transpiration Sean T. Connaughton said there is already development surrounding the battlefield and project costs will only increase as time goes on.
“Now we’re looking at much more expensive solutions to things that, quite honestly, we could have built much more economically years ago,” Connaughton said. Clark agreed. “The problems get worse and the solutions get more expensive and narrower in the options we have,” he said.
Clark said the park service and VDOT have included several preservation groups, such as the Civil War Trust, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Piedmont Environmental Council, the Southern Environmental Law Center and Coalition for Smarter Growth, in conversations about the bypass.
“We really are working very well with both VDOT and these preservation groups. We’re listening and being very proactive and open,” Clark said. “It’s extremely important to have these groups at the table and a part of the conservation.”
Morgan Butler, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center which is headquartered in Charlottesville , said his organization was “very much in favor” of closing Va. 234 and U.S. 29, which he said detracts from the park.
“We’re very concerned about the proposal for the Manassas Battlefield Bypass. While we certainly share the goal of closing routes 234 and 29 where they currently bisect the park, we think that the solution doesn’t need to entail building an entirely new four-lane highway around the remaining borders of the park,” Butler said.
The center’s preference would be to upgrade existing roads, but keep them to two lanes, Butler said.
“They would be able to sufficiently handle the traffic that’s currently going through the park,” he said.
Clark said the agreement between VDOT and the park service is out for comment from the preservation groups.
“They have the ability to sign on ... to continue to be a part of the process,” Clark said.
Connaughton said finalizing the agreement depends on several other entities as well.
“Everything depends on what we work out with the park service, as well as Loudoun and Prince William counties,” he said.
Senior reporter Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.