Potomac Creek Third Track Community Advisory Group Meeting #2   7/20/2026

All right, everybody.

I think it's time we get started.

Thank you for joining our second Community Advisory Group meeting for the Potomac Creek Third Track South.

The purpose of this meeting is to provide a space for project updates to be shared transparently and for community voices to be heard.

With that, this meeting is being recorded.

This will accurately capture

Your comments and questions, and I will make sure that this recording is available to folks after this meeting.

So you will receive it from me.

It'll also be available on our website.

If we can move to the next slide, I will introduce myself.

My name is Jenna Friedberg.

I'm the Community Affairs Manager with VPRA, and I handle the public outreach on this particular project.

Hi, everybody.

I'm Angel Reed.

I'm a Senior Planning Manager on our team at VPRA, and I've been on the projects in a supporting role for the past couple of years.

Adil Mysorewale with VPRA.

I am a project manager for the Leland Road Bridge.

Similar to Angel, I've stepped into this role starting May as well for the Leland Road Bridge specifically.

Thank you both.

If we can move to the next slide, I'll just go through the agenda.

So again, welcome.

We're going to go through just a quick overview of VPRA and our suite of projects.

We'll give you some background information on the service disruptions you may have noticed and then we will give an update on the Potomac Creek, Third Track South project, as well as the Leland Overpass overview.

Then I will go over our public engagement activity that we've done previously and coming up.

And there will be time after the presentation for questions and comments, but we do encourage you to use the chat function throughout the presentation to ask questions.

If you don't know how to write in the chat, you can open it up.

There on the bottom, there's an icon that says chat.

You can type in there.

You can also click on the React panel and it'll bring up a hand.

and you can put your hand up that way and we'll use that for the Q&A at the end.

If we move to the next slide.

So the Community Advisory Group, or CAG as we refer to it, this is a central key element of our approach, of our outreach efforts.

We meet quarterly, virtually.

And as we move into the construction phase, this is definitely a key aspect of our outreach because CAG members live and work in the community that we're working in.

We'll be providing regular updates and information about the project, especially the latest potential impacts that you might be noticing.

I ask that you bring these updates to your community and you hear any questions or concerns that they might share with you and you bring them back to us.

All of you should have my email by now.

If you don't, please let me know in the chat.

Again, I will be following up after this meeting.

Our newsletters are available, our websites are available, and our socials are also available at the end of this project.

This is the most effective way for us to stay in touch with those who are most impacted by the project.

The CAG includes representatives of residents, small business owners, special interest groups, local agencies, as well as elected officials.

Like I said, we will continue with these virtual meetings quarterly in the future.

If we need more as needed, we will have these more frequently and eventually we'll hopefully be able to offer perhaps tours or sidewalks as needed.

Thanks, Jenna.

Before we get into the projects, I'll just provide a brief overview of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, or VPRA.

We were created by the Virginia General Assembly back in 2020, so we are just over six years old.

We oversee passenger rail in Virginia, and we lead the Transforming Rail in Virginia program, also called TRV.

We manage passenger rail service, we develop and maintain rail infrastructure, and we're working to expand passenger rail options

And we do that by partnering with Amtrak and VRE to operate passenger and commuter rail service.

And advancing to the next slide, we'll talk a little bit about Transforming Rail in Virginia, also known as TRV.

We're making some long-term investments to improve the future of rail transportation across the Commonwealth.

And we do that by working with partners like Amtrak, CSX, VRE, Norfolk Southern.

And we're doing that to develop some major infrastructure projects, increasing rail capacity and improving the reliability of both passenger and freight service in the corridor.

And this is going to help us deliver better passenger rail service, strengthen our connections between the communities that we serve, and then also support Virginia's economic growth.

Drilling down on the next slide to the Potomac Creek Third Track South project.

This project is located between the Brooke and Fredericksburg VRE stations in Stafford County.

It includes about four miles of new third track, a new single track rail bridge over Harrell Road at Claiborne Run, and includes some safety improvements to the Primer House Road bridge.

And I'll just note here that

There will be no construction impacts to the Leland Road VRE station or to VRE train service with this track project, although there will be some temporary impacts to the station parking that are expected.

Advancing to the next slide to talk about the track project benefits.

The purpose of the track project is to add a third track or siding that increases our overall rail capacity by allowing trains to essentially safely pass one another.

And this added flexibility improves operations for both passenger and freight rail, allowing faster passenger trains to pass slower freight trains and thereby reducing delays in service.

It's also one of several key projects that are needed to support future VRE night and weekend service.

And to just tie this maybe to something folks may be more familiar with, you could think of a siding as functioning similar to truck climbing lanes, acceleration lanes or a merge lane on a roadway.

It's a way for traffic to move more efficiently.

Advancing to talk about our schedule.

This timeline here shows the major phases of the project.

We're currently in the design phase, which continues through early 2027.

The early works phase began this year, and it includes activities like site preparation, utility coordination, and some other work that's needed before major construction of the track project.

And we've got full construction on the track project expected to begin next year and continue through 2029.

And then as indicated by the bottom of the graphic, throughout every phase of the project, we're going to maintain this ongoing commitment to public outreach and stakeholder engagement and provide regular updates like we are today and opportunities for the community to stay informed as the project moves forward.

As we move into the early works phase, several activities are going to take place before major construction begins on the track.

So right-of-way acquisitions, those are ongoing now and they're going to continue through early 2027 and that's to secure the property that's needed for the project.

Tree clearing is also going to occur through early 2027 and we're going to follow all applicable environmental requirements and some seasonal restrictions that are imposed by state and federal law.

Utility relocations are going to continue through early 2028 to help prepare the corridor for construction.

And completing these activities in advance of major track construction helps us reduce delays and ensures that the project's ready for the next phase of work.

Next we'll touch on right-of-way.

So this outlines the right-of-way acquisition process and kind of what we've done to date for this project.

The project team completed the identification of the private property needs back in 2024.

And so then we moved into appraisals, which were complete as of mid-2026.

Property owners are actively receiving offer packets and negotiations are currently ongoing.

Those are expected to continue through this fall.

Overall, we expect to complete acquisition of most properties by the end of 2026.

And I will add here, I do want to mention if property is affected by the project, those owners have already been contacted.

So if you're a property owner and you've not been contacted, then your property is not going to be affected by the project.

Moving on to fall tree felling, I did want to highlight this.

Tree clearing is anticipated to occur between fall of this year through early next year.

This work is necessary to accommodate the utility relocations and provide the required clearance for construction and operation of the new third track, that site preparation that we're talking about for early works.

Tree clearing will take place within CSX right-of-way and on properties being acquired by VPRA.

Property owners and stakeholders are going to receive advance notification before any tree clearing begins with initial notices expected in about September of this year.

All right, and as I mentioned earlier, one of the early works items that's ongoing is utility coordination.

Utility coordination is already underway with relocations either completed or in progress right now.

This work involves several utility providers listed here.

These relocations are being carefully coordinated with the track project to prepare the corridor for construction.

And at this time, no transportation impacts or utility service disruptions are anticipated.

Thanks, Angel.

So the Leland Road Bridge Project is a VDOT owned

bridge that VPRA is actually implementing for VDOT.

VDOT is still going to lead the right-of-way effort for this project as well as some of the utility relocation which we'll touch on later.

So it's a subset of the Potomac Creek third track which Angel was describing which is why VPRA is leading it.

And it's a reconstruction of the existing road grid bridge.

And on the next slide, I'll actually talk to you why we're doing what we're doing.

So if you can actually move to the next slide.

Yes, as you can see, the bridge is pretty narrow right now.

You know, it's fine for the two tracks.

But when we add in a third track and a potential fourth track, we need to widen those bridges, which is what we're doing.

We're going to be managing this project, like I said, for VDOT.

If we can go to the next slide, please.

So as part of the bridge replacement, we have to demo the bridge and rebuild it in place, which means we're gonna have to shut it down.

And right now, the expectation is that we're gonna begin early next year, and it will be a 22-month detour.

And we have two distinct detours, one for passenger vehicle, which is obviously a shorter detour and a longer detour for trucks.

So both detours do not restrict access to the VRE station, the elementary school, the neighborhood, and residences.

Those should be accessible at all times during the construction.

There is also, I want to remind people that

When we are working on Herald Road as part of the track project, there will be detours for that too.

And we're actually working with VDOT on what that's going to be.

So we'll share those details when we get VDOT's approval on that detour.

If you can go to the next slide, please.

So currently, we are in the right-of-way acquisition phase.

So VDOT has begun the acquisition.

So if you are impacted, you will be contacted by VDOT for some right-of-way

needs for our project, as well as VDOT and CSX utilities have started their relocation.

So you may see some work very soon out there.

Actually Lumen, one of our CSX utilities, has actually been working in the right-of-way trying to relocate and install a conduit right now.

So once our relocations are done, contractor is going to mobilize, like we said, early next year and

You know, that's when the detour starts.

Once the detour begins, we'll do a bridge demolition and then we'll start the new bridge construction as well as the roadway construction here.

And I think that's pretty much our schedule.

So last slide for me.

And as you're all aware, you know, this project is, you know, one of the many projects that we have in our portfolio.

11 others, like the slide says, right?

You know, basically to unlock new rail service, you know, provide better service.

I'm assuming a few of you are VRE riders, you know, looking forward to more service, future service, I should say.

But because of that, right, we have projects that are active right now in Long Bridge in DC, Alexandria, and the Franconia Springfield Bypass Project.

Because of those projects, there are impacts to current rail service.

You know, we're trying to

create work windows for our contractor so that we can, you know, do work more quickly and, you know, have less impact overall to riders.

So, you know, just make sure that you're checking with, you know, VRE and Amtrak if you're traveling on those, make sure there's no impacts to your service.

And I believe that's it for me.

Thank you, Adele and Angel, for those updates.

So I'll just give a little overview of our community outreach and what we've done so far.

So in the past, we've coordinated with Stafford County and VDOT and the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, or FAMPO.

You may have seen us tabling in the community.

That's an image there from last year when we tabled at the YMCA.

And our first quarterly CAG meeting was back in April.

So the upcoming outreach that you can look forward to, so obviously we have today's CAG meeting.

Our next CAG meeting will be sometime in November.

You will get another email from me inviting you.

I usually try to send it about a month in advance.

We have ongoing coordination activities with Stafford County and other stakeholder agencies and I'm also planning for some fall neighborhood chats which is when we table out in the community and folks can come up and just ask us questions.

So we'll either be out in a neighborhood or we might be in the lobby of a

of a YMCA or perhaps the Row Center, perhaps the library.

We're still in development of that, but when we will be out in the neighborhood, I will make it clear.

We'll send out notifications.

We'll be on our social media and you should be able to find us.

Jenna, this is Dara Fry with VDOT.

Can we offer some suggestions of like how have you guys met with the Leland Station HOA?

I mean, the route center is 20 minutes away from this location, so I don't advise, you know, for that location to have a table.

I would really, I would suggest having a partner desk meeting this fall to announce the road closure coming in 2027.

They have the HOA, they have a community center, it's right by the pool.

I would highly suggest scheduling something like that and then doing a broader outreach where, I mean, Leland Station is a huge neighborhood on both sides of Leland Road where they could just walk to that community center and you could establish a point of contact so if people have any type of concerns with the project, with the road closure, they can put a name to a face.

because it's going to get lost in emails.

Good to know.

Thank you.

They're on my list of folks to reach out to, so I'm glad that you're confirming it, because I would much prefer to spend our time in a place that

We're going to reach people who actually need to hear this, so I really appreciate this suggestion.

Yeah, the Leland Station HOA is pretty active on social media, so I think that would be easy to get in touch with somebody with that, but also having a partner or desk meeting at the school.

We just had a design public hearing at Conway Elementary.

We had a lot of walk-ins besides, you know, the other interested

community members that wanted to come to the meeting.

But just, you know, with our average signs, people just were interested in seeing it.

I actually have been in touch with the schools to set up a meeting to discuss the detour with the school system and the emergency services.

So I'm in the process of planning that out as well.

So we should be having that

I would prefer to do it before the school year starts, but I was actually just emailing with them today scheduling something.

Any other suggestions for community outreach while we're on the topic?

Last to move to the next slide then, which is just how to stay informed if you're not already signed up for our email updates.

We do send regular newsletters and we post often on our social medias, but the Potomac Creek website is a key source of information.

If you are

Concerned about construction or impacts that you're seeing, we do have a construction information hotline listed there at the bottom.

We have a general contact us hotline as well if you have other concerns or questions, but both of these are available on our VPRA website.

Also on our website is a construction disruptions map, and on that app you'll be able to see exactly where the construction disruptions may be impacting

your commute or your neighborhood.

So please make sure to follow us on there if you haven't already.

These are also all at the bottom of my email signature, which I believe all of you have by now.

I will pass to Linda, who's going to handle the Q&A session.

I see we already have a few questions in the chat that we'll address.

Linda?

Yeah, so thanks to everyone who's participating.

Again, you can hover at the bottom under React if you want to raise your hand, or if you want to shout out a question, that's fine, or put it in the chat.

Looks like, Dara, you asked a question here regarding Harrell and Leland Road closures, if they are overlapping.

Looks like Angel provided a response, but I just wanted to bring that out and provide an answer.

Yeah, sure.

Just to maybe voice what the response is to the questions, will Harrell and Leland Road closures overlap?

At this time, the plans are calling for Leland to be closed for the detour first and Harrell Road will be closed for a detour to follow.

As Adeela mentioned, we're in the process of getting the maintenance of traffic plan approved with VDOT for Harrell Road, so we should be able to share more specific details about schedule and timing

at the next CAG meeting.

Did we have any other questions?

Opening it up to the group.

When you say early 2027, what are you guys thinking?

Like are you going to try to close Leland?

It's still kind of up in the air.

right now, but we are going to give our contractor a notice to proceed January 2027 and most likely start to detour in a month or so after that.

So, I mean, we can consider what you just said and just see if we just close it up in January.

Yeah, because you're going to need... We wouldn't want to restrict someone from using it.

Right.

But I definitely want to be able to give the schools as much notice as possible as well as emergency responders because they're going to have to adjust their routes to respond.

Yeah.

Okay.

And that's also why I've been interacting with the schools and the emergency response so that the meeting we have hopefully before the school year begins, we can give them at least what we've told you, maybe a little bit more information and then they have a point of contact with me and the project team and we can have regular communication with them so they have more than enough time.

Any, let me check here.

Adriano's got a comment.

I think, you know, this is Dara just coming from my perspective.

It's just reassuring how we're going to minimize the impacts of construction on nearby residents.

Right now they plan to have barriers so that you cannot

go beyond a certain point.

I don't know the exact location where those barriers are going to be, but obviously there's going to be a hole where the bridge is right now, and we don't want anybody getting close to that.

And are you guys working all the time, like 24-7?

Are you mostly working at night, mostly working during the day?

Yes, we'll get more information for next meeting, for sure.

And obviously, when we meet with folks, right now, again, it's too early, right?

But most likely, it'll be mostly day work with some night

work, especially like when we're setting bridge girders, you know, traffic, train traffic is less at night.

So most likely those kind of operations that we, you know, we can't stop the train.

So we have to work around trains and that's mostly at night.

But I don't have exact information on that.

Alright, I think we are good for today.

Thank you everybody for joining us.

I hope this was informational and helpful.

Thank you for the suggestions.

I really appreciate that.

That is the point of these meetings, to hear from you and take into account what you're telling us because I trust you as community members.

And like I said, we want to make sure that everybody is getting all the information they need and

Like I said, next CAG will be sometime in November.

You'll hear from me about a month before.

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions between now and then, please feel free to send me an email.

We will be making this recording available as well as the presentation and the other materials that are necessary.

So thank you again for joining us.

I'll stay on if anybody has any more questions, but if not, enjoy the rest of your afternoon.