Northern Virginia voters green-lighted hundreds of millions of dollars in bonds on Tuesday, allowing counties to move forward with scores of construction, renovation and road projects.
Not one of the seven bond questions in Fairfax and Arlington counties would be rejected, based on the overwhelming leads they showed early in the evening. Prince William County bond results were not available by press time. The broad approval sends a signal that majorities in the region are comfortable with their governments taking on greater debt to pay for public improvements.
In two separate questions in Fairfax County, $125 million will pay for public safety projects and $25 million will go to park projects.
Three police stations — McLean, Reston and Fair Oaks — will undergo renovations and expansions. The county’s animal shelter, bursting at the seams from a glut of cats, kittens and other animals, will see a $17 million expansion. Expansions costing $17 million to the Fire and Rescue Training Academy and $12 million for the Great Falls Volunteer Fire Station are also planned. Additional county renovation and improvement projects total almost $25 million.
Fairfax County will use another $25 million to convert athletic fields to synthetic turf, develop countywide trail network and acquire new parkland.
Prince William County voters weighed three different bond referendums totaling $369.6 million.
On the ballot was a $300 million road package that would widen Route 28, Route 1 and Prince William Parkway, among 11 total road projects. The vote could show county residents are prepared to continue to take over where the state has left off.
Residents also decided on the future of parks and open space by passing the $27 million to buy land and improve the county’s parks. Two new libraries were considered for $42.6 million. Both libraries would feature historic homes built into the design. The Montclair Library would serve the eastern end, while the Gainesville Library will serve the western end.
In Arlington, which hasn’t rejected a bond issue since the 1970s, voters approved $35.5 million for local parks andrecreation, $31.5 million for Metro and transportation, $27.3 million for community infrastructure, $79 million for utilities and $33.7 million for schools.
Included in those bonds was an $8 million replacement to Westover Library, a $18.6 million contribution to Metro, a $60 million upgrade and expansion to the Water Pollution Control Plant, and a $24 million for a renovation of Yorktown High School.
Part of the Washington DC Examiner’s 2006 election coverage.
