A triple blow of unanticipated increases in the cost of building roads, rising debt-payment costs and the loss of anticipated state funding has decimated Prince William County's ability to build more roads.

The problems, including the recent Virginia Supreme Court verdict outlawing transportation taxes, will force the county to kill two road projects and delay another for four and a half years.

Supervisors said removing proposals to expand Route 28 and University Boulevard and extensive delays to Prince William Parkway overhauls will allow them to keep building other roads and avoid scuttling their road-construction program. The county has approved more than $600 million in road improvements since 1988 as the population has surged.

“We've been in the road building business for 20 years and I think we have the potential to keep going,” said Supervisor John Stirrup, R-Gainesville.

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Ongoing improvements along the Route 1 commuting corridor in Woodbridge and Dumfries are overrunning their budgets as the county faces unexpected land-acquisition costs.

The county’s budget is so bleak that Transportation Director Tom Blaser warned the board not to eliminate the transportation program, saying it would be difficult to replace the staff’s decades of experience.

“Turning a ship around when you eliminate a program takes a long, long time,” Blaser said.

Other action

» Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution authorizing U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman's request for $1.4 million from the federal government to pay for cameras as part of the illegal-immigration crackdown. That would cover almost half the $3.1 million estimated cost of the cameras.

» The county's proposed budget does not allow the county to enhance its foreclosure maintenance and home overcrowding inspection force. The budget eschewed a plan to double the neighborhood staffing to meet dramatically increasing complaints.