Preparatory work has begun on Prince William County’s first parking garage, a park-and-ride facility that will relieve crowding at the Route 1/Route 234 Park and Ride Lot.

Design on the $53.5-million, 1,414-space Potomac/Neabsco Mills Commuter Garage, which will serve as an OmniRide bus hub, began in 2022 after the Prince William Board of County Supervisors chose the location off Opitz Boulevard, near Potomac Town Center, in 2019.

The parking garage will have electric vehicle charging stations and a new sidewalk along River Rock Way.

“The garage will also serve … the upcoming Transurban lanes that are being constructed along Opitz to improve access to the 95 Express Lanes,” Prince William County Chair At-Large Ann Wheeler said at a recent groundbreaking ceremony. “The county strives to continue to build a truly efficient multi-modal system. The construction of this parking facility adds a new dimension to this goal.”

Funding for the parking garage came from state, local and federal sources, with $37 million coming from the Virginia Department of Transportation’s System for the Maintenance and Allocation of Resources for Transportation, or Smart Scale. Smart Scale is a data-based program aimed at completing transportation projects that create the greatest benefit for taxpayers. 

“The collaboration and innovation utilized throughout this project will enable us to address the needs of commuters across the county in the years to come. It will allow us to develop future projects … that will meet our residents’ evolving needs and expectations as the 21st century unfolds.” Wheeler said. “This is really a signature project in Prince William County in so many ways.”

The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2024.