Stafford officials gather input about redevelopment of U.S. 17 corridor

by Jonas Beals

Date published: 10/1/2008

by Jonas Beals

It seems that Stafford officials and residents are in agreement: Traveling on U.S. 17 near Interstate 95 is a nightmare.

Rapid suburban growth combined with heavy doses of commercial and commuter traffic have gummed up one of the county's busiest intersections.

It will be a long time before those problems are fixed, but the county is taking the first steps toward redeveloping what they call the "Southern Gateway" between I-95 and Berea Road on U.S. 17. County and transportation officials hosted a meeting last week about the plan. About 80 people attended.

The proposed changes are radical. The future Southern Gateway could have more in common with a college campus or quaint city center than an off-ramp strip mall.

A philosophical shift in development priorities flavors the entire process. Instead of allowing builders to define the area, county departments will try to use their influence to mold a place that is more of a neighborhood--complete with mixed commercial, business and residential spaces.

If these ideas take root, officials hope the Southern Gateway could turn into a pedestrian-friendly zone where local jobs replace lengthy commutes and usable green space is a central design feature.

"What's important," Redevelopment Administrator Brad Johnson said, "is the mixed-use development along 17."

Johnson introduced the concept of "reverse frontage." Buildings along U.S. 17 would be built with their backs to the road. Storefronts, office buildings and homes would open onto side streets or interior courtyards. It's one way planners hope to free up U.S. 17 for through traffic without removing commercial and business space.

"Our role is to create a business-friendly environment to attract the private sector," Johnson said. "We can't do this alone. We want to partner with the community."

Ambitious? One trip from Falmouth to Geico is all the incentive one needs.

Such a complicated proposal is made even more so due to the fact that Stafford won't be directly involved in the redevelopment. The project will rely almost entirely on private-sector investment. Basically, business will have to build the development that Stafford wants, one piece at a time.

"We couldn't find any locality that's doing exactly what we're doing," Deputy County Administrator Tim Baroody said. "I think we're ahead of most communities with this project."

In March, Stafford County officials approved $432,000 to hire CMSS Architects to create redevelopment plans for four key areas: Boswell's Corner, the Courthouse, Falmouth Village and the Southern Gateway. The process has only just begun, with last week's presentation and public comment session at the Riverside Center being the last of the preliminary public meetings. More meetings and public hearings are planned in each area as the redevelopment process moves forward. The finished product will be a master development plan for each area, to be enacted as part of the county's comprehensive plan. At this point, the county is still firmly in the idea phase, with little more than progressive mixed-use development concepts and an artist's watercolor rendering to guide discussion. While Stafford officials work to cement their vision, development continues in the Southern Gateway corridor. Many people at last week's meeting were disappointed to learn of a traffic light that will soon be installed at the entrance to the new Lowe's. Most concerns raised by the public had to do with traffic on U.S. 17. Suggestions ranged from eliminating left turns to revisiting an outer connector between U.S. 17 and State Route 3. Some questioned the wisdom of the seemingly disorganized commercial development in the area, and a number of people called for a focus on alternative transportation such as rail, pedestrian paths and bicycle lanes. There was also a brief discussion on the fate of U.S. 17 east of I-95. That section is not currently included in the "Southern Gateway," but may play a role in connecting it to the nearby Falmouth redevelopment zone. County officials said all those concerns would be studied.

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Date published: 10/1/2008

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