Virginia Railway Express opens new 740-space Manassas Park Station parking garage
Virginia Railway Express (VRE) unveiled a new parking garage at its Manassas Park Station, directly adjacent to Manassas Park’s Park Centra.
Funding for the project was procured via contributions from I-66 Express Mobility Partners, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority , the I-66 Commuter Choice Program, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the city of Manassas Park, Va. The agency says the new development supports the vision for the transit-oriented redevelopment of the neighborhood surrounding the city of Manassas Park.
“I am honored to celebrate the opening of this parking garage with VRE’s steadfast partners from across the region,” said VRE Acting CEO Dallas Richards. “This project is a testament to our shared values of looking to the future of transit and community development to support our residents’ evolving transportation needs.”
VRE conducted a study in 2017 that revealed a need to improve parking infrastructure at the station. The new parking garage offers 740 spaces, 200 of which are dedicated for use by city employees, with the remaining 540 spaces being allocated for VRE riders and visitors of Manassas Park. The new parking comes in addition to the newly constructed library and city hall and ahead of the construction of The Villages at Manassas Park, a new development that will consist of hundreds of townhomes as part of the transit-oriented development plan.
“This project is a significant milestone in the city of Manassas Park’s revitalized downtown. When you look around the surrounding area, this new garage fits right into the mosaic of a thriving economic hub that meets the diverse needs of our community,” said Manassas Park Mayor and VRE Operations Board Member Alanna Mensing.
The new parking garage was built in addition to the existing 600-space parking lot situated at VRE’s Manassas Park station. The new garage was built on city-owned property that’s leased to the VRE in a special agreement for $1 a year.
“This is an investment not only into the VRE and the city of Manassas Park, but to the entire region,” said Northern Virginia Transportation Commission Executive Director Kate Mattice. “When we identify existing transit corridors heavily utilized by residents, like that of the VRE’s, we can leverage the surrounding area to connect community members to jobs, retail and other needs that attract talent to our region, reduce roadway congestion and support our overall economy.”
VHB was selected as the engineering firm for the project while construction was managed by GFT. Construction was executed by Manhattan Construction Company.