New fire station and police station to be built near Prince William’s county complex in Woodbridge

A new fire station and a new police station will be built and open by 2016 near the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Hoadly and Davis Ford roads. Construction costs will total about $40 million.

The two buildings were the topic of a town hall meeting held by Supervisor Mike May, (R-Occoquan), Nov. 21 in Buckhall fire station. A follow-up meeting is set for Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. in Buckhall fire station.

Tom Bruun, Prince William County director of public works, told the audience of about 30 people the fire station will be 15,000 square feet, while the police station will be 50,000 square feet. Combining both stations into one edifice also is a possibility, he added.

There also will be room on the 70-acre site for future county expansion, and an interparcel connector that is planned to join the McCoart Government building to the police and fire site.

Proposals shown at the meeting depict three entrances to the new complex. One is on Prince William Parkway, one opposite to the church on Davis Ford Road near the former Palm Pools and another 800 feet north of the church road toward Manassas. Any entrance on the parkway would be right in, right out. Two entrances will be needed, Bruun noted.

He explained the fire station will include a pumper truck, advanced life support ambulance, sleeping quarters, day room, physical fitness area and offices. There also will be four bays for fire apparatus, a storage shed and training area.

The station will provide “emergency medical service to mid-county, mainly Lake Ridge, Dale City and the Davis Ford corridor,” he added. Career firefighters will staff the pumper during daytime hours.

The police station, which may be 25,000 square feet per floor for two floors, will have parking for police personnel and a separate lot for visitors. Some 400 parking spaces will be set aside for the police station.

Kevin McGee, head of the county’s department of fire and rescue, told the meeting the station is expected to respond to about 1000 calls each year and relieve the over capacity situation at fire stations in the area.

An audience member brought up the long-standing concern of neighbors who don’t want Davis Ford Road expanded to four lanes. Tom Blaser, head of the county’s transportation department, said, “it’s on the table to expand Davis Ford Road” to the complex area.

Jay Moore said an archaeological study would be done on the property. He is a vice president of Moseley Architects, who will design both structures.