FAIRFAX, PW & OTHER NoVA PROJECTS FUNDED BY CONGRESS
Millions in Federal Funding for Highways, Pedestrian Improvements, Transit, Gang Prevention

Following the lead of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, the U.S. Senate on Sunday approved a consolidated appropriations bill containing federal funding sought by Congressman Gerry Connolly for a number of projects in Fairfax County, Prince William County, and the City of Fairfax.  The legislation now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign it into law.

Connolly said the legislation contains $3 million for regional gang prevention, $11.7 million for bridge, highway, and pedestrian improvements, $235 million for Metro and Rail to Dulles, and $3.2 million for Chesapeake Bay restoration, and many other projects in Northern Virginia.  Connolly said the legislation also contains funding for a number of other  projects he and other members of the congressional delegation requested for Northern Virginia. 

Connolly said major transportation projects include:

• $974,000 for the I-95/Fairfax County Parkway interchange in Newington
• $584,000 for the Fairfax County Parkway interchange at Fair Lakes
• $300,000 to replace the deteriorating bridge over Accotink Creek on Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) in Fairfax City
• $584,400 for interchange improvements at Routes 1 and 123 in Woodbridge
• $500,000 for sidewalk and street improvements in the Town Haymarket
• $150,000 for pedestrian safety enhancements in the Town of Occoquan
• $9.5 million for an access road at Fort Belvoir

Connolly said transit projects in the appropriations bill include:

• $85 million for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
• $150 million for capital and preventive maintenance for the entire Metrorail system
• $1 million for construction of a western bus maintenance facility in Prince William County for the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission
• $500,000 for the Richmond Highway public transportation initiative in the Route 1 corridor of Fairfax County
• $3 million for rail cars for Virginia Railway Express.

Connolly said the other major projects included in the bill were:

• $3 million for the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, a program long-championed by Connolly that has had great success in reducing gang activity across Northern Virginia
• $3.3 million for Chesapeake Bay restoration
• $200,000 for the Fairfax Childhelp Center to support child abuse victims
• $550,000 for George Mason University’s Center for Infrastructure Protection
• $500,000 for Northern Virginia Community College to develop electronic medical records training to prepare students for new jobs in the health information technology field

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