Now that the weather's warmer, Centreville's Bull Run Regional Park is awash in families enjoying picnics, kids playing ball and climbing trees and people walking along the trails to see the bluebells in full bloom.
The picture would change dramatically if instead a six-lane highway tore its way through the park. But that's what will happen if the proposed Centreville route for the Tri-County Parkway is chosen.
"Why would they go and destroy something that's an attraction to the area?" wondered Laura Beaty of the Virginia Native Plant Society. She and Mary Ann Lawler, also of the society, were leading one of several Bluebell Walks Sunday through the park.
Saddened that "quality of life and the beauty of nature" seem to count for so little in today's transportation world, Beaty asked, "Do we want faster roads and to pave everything over, or to be able to stop and enjoy everything that's here?"
Bull Run Regional Park boasts the largest stand of bluebells on the East Coast and, each year, visitors flock to see their delicate blooms carpet the forest there. But they're definitely in jeopardy from the proposed parkway.
The project's purpose is to link Prince William, Fairfax and Loudoun counties, as well as the City of Manassas with I-66 and the Dulles area. It's also intended to improve traffic flow while reducing congestion. It's planned for four lanes in Prince William and six in Fairfax, and a typical road section would generally require 200 feet of right-of-way to build.
Three routes are under consideration, but the pathway that would go through Centreville worries local residents the most. This alignment travels east of the Manassas National Battlefield Park — generally following the route approved by Fairfax County in 1994 and later adopted in its Comprehensive Plan.
This alternative comes down Bull Run Post Office Road from Loudoun County, bends east just north of the planned SYA "Fields of Dreams," crosses Bull Run Post Office and continues west of the Luck Stone quarry. It crosses Route 29 and goes in between I-66 and Route 29, heading east/northeast, behind Bull Run Elementary. It then crosses Compton Road near the UOSA sewage-treatment plant, traveling along the edge of UOSA's property into Prince William County.
VDOT's draft environmental impact statement on all three alternatives is available at the Centreville and Chantilly regional libraries and at www.virginiadot.org/projects/tcp.asp.
RESIDENTS ARE also encouraged to attend a public hearing on it, Tuesday, May 10, from 5-8 p.m., at Bull Run Elementary, 15301 Lee Highway in Centreville. Comments may also be sent by May 21 to tricountyparkway@virginiadot.org or to Ken Wilkinson, VDOT, 1401 E. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23219.
The Commonwealth Transportation Board is expected to select a route by early fall. Meanwhile, under the auspices of Friends of Bull Run Regional Park, Gate Post Estates residents Bob Booth, Pat Ferguson and Jan Guthrie gave information about the proposed parkway to about 100 of the approximately 200 people who came to Sunday's annual Bluebell Walks.
"We're totally against it going through the park," said Booth. He said at least half the people there "didn't know this would go through the park that they financed." McLean's Jim Carney was stunned to learn about it.
"It's appalling," he said. "It affects the entire Northern Virginia region, and people need to know about it. The bluebells are so special that to destroy this habitat is borderline criminal."
Clifton's Susan Behn called the flowers "absolutely gorgeous" and hoped another parkway route would be chosen. Otherwise, she said, "It would be awful — a real shame." Lane and Mike of Centre Village brought daughter Mya, 6 months, to see the bluebells. They come every year, usually with relatives.
"It's phenomenal," said Lane. "It'd be nice to continue this tradition of bringing our family here. I've always thought it would be nice if they kept more green space in this area." Added her husband: "I'd hope they'd think long and hard before destroying this."