SR 234 begins at an intersection with US 1 (Jefferson Davis Highway) on the northern edge of the town of Dumfries. The state highway heads northwest as Dumfries Road, a six-lane divided highway that passes southwest of the Dumfries Road Commuter Lot, a park and ride facility, before it meets I-95 at a partial cloverleaf interchange. North of Dumfries, SR 234 parallels Quantico Creek and follows the border of Prince William Forest Park to the southwest. The state highway also passes many residential subdivisions on the highway's northbound side in the community of Montclair, where the highway reduces to four lanes at Country Club Drive. SR 234 curves to the north at Independent Hill, which the highway bypasses. The old alignment through the village, which contains the remains of the Greenwood Gold Mine, is designated SR 234 Old. SR 234 passes through the communities of Canova, Cornwell, and Lake Jackson, where the highway crosses the Occoquan River just east of the community's namesake reservoir. Just north of Lake Jackson, the state highway intersects Prince William Parkway (SR 294), which connects Manassas and Woodbridge.[1]
SR 234 just north of Manassas
Just north of Prince William Parkway, Dumfries Road turns north toward the city of Manassas as SR 234 Business. SR 234 continues northwest as Prince William Parkway, a four-lane divided highway western bypass of Manassas. The state highway passes to the east of Manassas Regional Airport, which is accessed via Clover Hill Road. Just north of the airport, SR 234 crosses over Norfolk Southern Railway's Washington District rail line, which is also used by Virginia Railway Express's Manassas Line, whose western terminus is at the Broad Run/Airport just to the west in the community of Bristow. Just north of the rail line, the state highway meets SR 28 (Nokesville Road) at a three-level interchange featuring flyover ramps from both directions of SR 28 to SR 234. SR 234 continues north past the Prince William Science and Technology Campus of George Mason University, which features the Hylton Performing Arts Center, then intersects SR 674 (Wellington Road) and Sudley Manor Drive, which connects Linton Hall to the southwest with Bull Run to the northeast. SR 234 continues northwest, intersecting Balls Ford Road before reaching a trumpet interchange with I-66, at exit 44 on I-66. SR 234 joins the interstate in a concurrency east for three miles to a partial cloverleaf interchange with Sudley Road at exit 47, where SR 234 leaves the concurrency and meets the northern end of SR 234 Business.[1]
SR 234 heads north from I-66 as a four-lane divided highway that reduces to two lanes at the entrance to the Manassas Campus of Northern Virginia Community College, and then enters Manassas National Battlefield Park, site of the First and Second Battles of Bull Run. The state highway intersects US 29 (Lee Highway) within the battlefield park. After leaving the preserve, SR 234 passes through the community of Sudley Springs, where the highway crosses Little Bull Run and curves to the west. The state highway heads through the community of Catharpin before reaching its northern terminus at US 15 (James Madison Highway) in the hamlet of Woolsey north of Haymarket.[1]
History
Most of SR 234 southeast of Manassas, for 15.85 miles (25.51 km) from State Route 28 in Manassas towards State Route 31 (U.S. Route 1) at Dumfries, was added to the state highway system in 1928 as State Route 709.[2] The final 2.50 miles (4.02 km) were added in 1929, making SR 709 a continuous Manassas-Dumfries route.[3]
In the other direction, from Manassas northwest towards Gilberts Corner, 6.42 miles (10.33 km) were added in 1930 and 1931.[4] In 1932, the rest of the road to Gilberts Corner, now State Route 705 and U.S. Route 15 north of Catharpin, was added to the state highway system.[5][6]
In the 1940 renumbering, the northern piece of SR 234 (through Purcellville) became part of State Route 17. SR 234 was rerouted to continue northwest on SR 734 from Philomont to Bluemont (also never transferred to the primary system), where it absorbed the short State Route 245 to State Route 7. At the same time, a short piece of SR 234 south of Gilberts Corner also became U.S. Route 15.[7] Also around that time, SR 234 was rerouted to head west rather than northwest from Catharpin, using a longer piece of new US 15 (from Woolsey north to Gilberts Corner).[8] The piece at Bluemont was transferred to the secondary system in 1943,[9] truncating SR 234 back to Gilberts Corner and beyond to its current end at US 15.
In 2005, the Commonwealth of Virginia designated Route 234 between U.S. Route 1 and Interstate 66 as the Ronald Wilson Reagan Memorial Highway.[10]
Recent construction
The 2005 widening of SR 234 to four lanes in the areas of Independent Hill and Canova have resulted in some minor realignments. A former stretch of SR 234 through Canova has been renamed Canova Drive, and SR 234 was moved about 1 block east. At Independent Hill, Bristow Road has been extended onto former SR 234, and SR 234 itself was realigned about 300 meters north.
During the late 1990s the SR 234 Bypass was constructed to route through traffic from I-66 to the southeast around downtown Manassas. The existing portion of SR 234 was renamed SR 234 Business.[11]
Parkway initiatives
Bi-County Parkway
The Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance has recommended a new limited access highway extending SR 234 past its intersection with I-66. The highway would junction and re-connect with current SR 234 in Catharpin near the Manassas National Battlefield, and then follow current SR 659 to US 50 in Loudoun County.[12] The goal of the project is to connect Prince William County and Loudoun county to alleviate congestion between Manassas and Washington Dulles International Airport. While the Loudoun County Commonwealth Transportation Board has approved the project, many Prince William County residents oppose the plan.[13][14] In March 2016, the Prince William County Board of Supervisors voted to remove the Bi-County Parkway from its long-range planning blueprint.[15]
Tri-County Parkway
The Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance has also proposed a Tri-County Parkway. The highway would start near the intersection of SR 234 and SR 28 and follow Godwin Drive to I-66. It would then follow SR 621 east of Manassas National Battlefield Park, ultimately connecting to Loudoun County Parkway. The project would link Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William Counties and provide an alternate route between Manassas, I-66 and Washington Dulles International Airport.[16] Some Prince William County supervisors support construction to extend Godwin Drive, as opposed to the Tri-County Parkway, due to the lower cost and lesser disruptive impact on residents and businesses.[17] The project is supported by Prince William Supervisor Pete Candland.[18]
Future
SR 234 and Balls Ford Road interchange
A rendering of the new intersection of SR 234 at Balls Ford Road, complete with a realignment of Balls Ford Road.[19]
As a part of the Transform 66 project, the current at-grade intersection of SR 234 and Balls Ford Road will be converted to a diverging diamond interchange at a cost of $167 million. As a part of this project, Balls Ford Road will be realigned about 0.50 miles (0.80 km) south, where the interchange will be constructed, and a new grade-separated bridge will be built over the Norfolk Southern Railroad Line. In addition, Balls Ford Road would be widened from a two lanes street to a four-lane divided roadway between its intersection at Devlin Road / Wellington Road through the interchange to Doane Drive. This project coincides with a separate project to widen Balls Ford Road between Doane Drive to Ashton Avenue. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2020 and be completed in late 2022.[20][21][22]
SR 234 and University Boulevard intersection
A quadrant roadway intersection is planned at the intersection of SR 234 and University Boulevard in Manassas. Construction is expected to start in fall 2020 and be completed in fall 2022.[23][24][25]
Movie filming
A completed portion of the bypass was used prior to it being open to traffic as a scene in the 1998 disaster film, Deep Impact.[26] About 2,100 extras and 1,870 vehicles were used to stage the traffic jam scene for that film.[27]
View north at the southern end of SR 234 Bus. at SR 234 in Manassas
State Route 234 Business (SR 234 Bus. or 234-BR on some maps) in Manassas is a bannered primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia, and traverses both Prince William County and the City of Manassas. SR 234 Business is known by three names: Dumfries Road in Prince William County and Manassas, Grant Avenue in the City of Manassas, and Sudley Road in the City of Manassas and Prince William County.
SR 234 Business starts in the south as Dumfries Road as a four lane undivided highway. As it passes by the Prince William County fairgrounds[30] before it enters the City of Manassas, it becomes two lanes. After entering the city, Dumfries Road passes by residential neighborhoods and becomes a four-lane divided road, and crosses Wellington Road. At Wellington Road SR 234 Business changes to Grant Avenue, which is a four lane undivided highway that passes by a townhouse development (Georgetown South) and retail developments before entering Old Town Manassas and crossing over SR 28. Shortly after this point Grant Avenue reduces to two lanes, then divides into a boulevard with spaces for on-street parking, and passes by homes, some of which are antebellum in architecture.
When Grant Avenue meets Sudley Road, SR 234 Business turns to the northwest along Sudley Road. This road is a four-lane divided highway that passes by the Manassas U.S. Post Office, the Prince William Hospital (part of the Novant Health System), the Manassas Mall, and several business establishments. SR 234 Business ends at the intersection with I-66, that also carries SR 234. SR 234 continues northward from there along Sudley Road.
SR 234 Business was first formed as part of SR 234. When the Prince William Parkway / Manassas Bypass was completed, it was numbered SR 234, and the section through Manassas was renamed SR 234 Business.
US 1 in Dumfries
US 15 / SR 601 near Haymarket
_at_Colchester_Park_Drive_in_Independent_Hill,_Prince_William_County,_Virginia.jpg)
_from_the_ramp_connecting_northbound_Virginia_State_Route_28_(Nokesville_Road)_to_northbound_Virginia_State_Route_234_in_Bristow,_Prince_William_County,_Virginia.jpg)
_at_Virginia_State_Route_234_(Prince_William_Parkway)_in_Buckhall,_Prince_William_County,_Virginia.jpg)
