UPDATE: The detour is now expected to begin Friday, Sept. 25, following a delay due to rain.
The detour at Prince William Parkway and Minnieville Road that was scheduled to begin Sept. 22 has been delayed because of expected rain, Prince William County's Department of Transportation and Capital Construction (DTCC) confirmed Monday.
Weather permitting, traffic shift work will now begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, and run until 5 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25 — at which point the detour and left-turn restrictions will take effect.
If crews are unable to begin work Thursday, the shift work will instead take place from 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28, to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, with the detour beginning after that work wraps up.
“The detour will last approximately 1 year. This includes the left turn restrictions,” Gretchen Johnson, senior communications analyst for DTCC, told The Woodbridge Gazette — reaffirming the timeline the county gave earlier this month.
Once in effect, most left-turn movements at the intersection will be temporarily restricted while crews continue building the new grade-separated interchange. Through traffic and all right turns will remain open in every direction, and the left turn from northbound Prince William Parkway (toward Old Bridge Road) to westbound Minnieville Road (toward Dale Boulevard) will also remain open.
Drivers affected by the temporary left-turn restrictions will be directed to the following detours:
● Eastbound Minnieville Road (toward Smoketown Road): Drivers will not be able to turn left onto northbound Prince William Parkway (toward Old Bridge Road). Instead, drivers will turn left onto Amethyst Avenue, continue to Quartz Avenue and then turn left onto Prince William Parkway.
● Westbound Minnieville Road (toward Dale Boulevard): Drivers will not be able to turn left onto southbound Prince William Parkway (toward I-95). Instead, drivers will turn right onto Elm Farm Road, turn left onto the Temporary East (Detour) Road and then turn left onto Prince William Parkway.
● Southbound Prince William Parkway (toward I-95): Drivers will not be able to turn left onto eastbound Minnieville Road (toward Smoketown Road). Drivers will turn left onto the Temporary East (Detour) Road, continue to Elm Farm Road and then turn left onto Minnieville Road.
Motorists should follow posted detour signs, allow additional travel time and use caution while traveling through the work zone.
Prince William County has also updated its official press release to reflect the new schedule, noting the detour is now expected to begin Friday, Sept. 25.
The Woodbridge Gazette will continue to monitor for updates and will post again if the schedule changes.
The left-turn restrictions are part of construction on the $81 million Prince William Parkway at Minnieville Road Interchange Project, which will replace the signalized intersection with a grade-separated interchange.
Source: Prince William County Department of Transportation and Capital Co
Rendering: Prince William County / PWC Works
Source: Prince William County Department of Transportation and Capital Construction