Prince William County has received five 2025 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo), recognizing several county programs for their innovation and effectiveness in public service.
The Route 234 Corridor Mobility Program, led by the Department of Transportation, was honored by both NACo and VACo. The program secured $391 million in external funding, which covered most of the costs for 11 transportation projects along Route 234. The county contributed only $9 million to these projects, which included new sidewalks, ADA-compliant ramps, trails for bikes and pedestrians, and upgrades such as replacing two traffic signals with grade-separated interchanges to ease congestion.
“This is a great accomplishment for Prince William County, and the award celebrates the county’s endeavors to provide a safe and innovative mobility network to the traveling public,” said Rick Canizales, Director of the Department of Transportation. “This award reflects the care and thought each member of the Transportation team puts into their work. It also reflects a strong collaborative effort between the county’s Planning Office, Department of Development Services and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism.”
The Clinical Behavioral Health Staff Development Project from the Department of Community Services was recognized by NACo as well. This initiative began in 2023 in partnership with the Office of Equity and Inclusion to improve staff morale, leadership skills, and communication without extra funding. The project aimed to reduce turnover among staff members while improving outcomes for clients.
“This award affirms our approach,” said Community Services Acting Director Georgia Bachman. “This team’s effort went beyond surface changes. Staff had the courage to challenge the status quo, and leadership listened and acted on their feedback to build a more open, respectful culture. That shift didn’t just strengthen the team—it led to better care and stronger outcomes for the people we serve.”
The Office of Elections earned a VACo Award for its Open House event held in August 2024. Over 300 people attended this two-day event that offered demonstrations on voting equipment, presentations about voter registration processes, mail voting procedures, results reporting methods, as well as tours highlighting security protocols within election operations. The event was organized using existing resources.
“Many people who came in with concerns, left feeling much better about the integrity of our elections,” said Director of Elections Eric Olsen. “The Open House gave the public an opportunity to see the hundreds of security and accountability steps that go into running every single election.”
Due to positive feedback from attendees, another Open House is scheduled for August 15, 2025; registration details are available at pwcvotes.org.
The Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center received a VACo Achievement Award for its Re-Entry Center Program launched in February 2024. This center helps individuals returning from incarceration by providing access to food, clothing, housing referrals, mental health counseling, peer support groups, job training opportunities and connections with local partners such as George Mason University and other community agencies.
“When returning citizens successfully reintegrate into society, families are reunited, children regain parental support and entire neighborhoods become more stable and resilient,” said ADC Lt. Syed Naqvi. “When the public sees a system that focuses not just on punishment but on rehabilitation and reintegration, it builds faith in institutions and promotes social cohesion.”
County Executive Chris Shorter noted that these awards demonstrate Prince William County’s focus on serving residents through practical solutions: “These awards are a testament to Prince William County’s commitment to innovation and excellence in public service,” he said. “Whether it’s modernizing our transportation infrastructure, building public trust in our elections, or supporting residents through re-entry or behavioral health services, these programs reflect how we are delivering meaningful, people-centered solutions that improve quality of life across the county.”
