Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Prince William County Department of Transportation issued a Notice to Proceed on July 16 to Wagman Heavy Civil, Inc., green lighting a $64 million contract for the construction of a redesigned intersection at Route 234 and Sudley Manor Drive. The PWC Board of Supervisors had approved the contract a few days earlier, giving assent to a project first formalized around 2023 and intended to support the county’s “Innovations Corridor,” centered around the Route 234 area in Manassas. Construction is planned to begin in Fall 2026 and to be completed by mid-2030.
What is a single-point urban interchange?
Schematic of a single-point urban interchange (SPUI). Image: Wikimedia Commons
The redesigned crossroads is properly called an SPUI, or “single-point urban interchange.” This is similar to the more common “diamond interchange” one encounters on the interstate but differs in that it compresses the turning lanes into one central block, where a single set of lights works to allow simultaneous left turns, followed by right turns. It may sound a little confusing, and appear daunting on a diagram, but it is a proven design that is now widely used across the country.
One important detail: the design will elevate Sudley Manor Drive so that it passes over Route 234, which would then permit through traffic on Route 234 to proceed without stopping for any lights.
Why it matters
PWC DOT presents the major goals of this project as improved traffic flow, greater safety, and reduced congestion on Route 234. Residents and businesses around and along the Dumfries Road–Prince William Parkway–Route 234 axis will without a doubt appreciate any efforts to reduce stops and make their drive safer.
The project is part of the county’s broader push to develop its Innovations Corridor along the Route 234 corridor in Manassas — an area the county has identified as a priority for economic growth and infrastructure investment.
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