Regional planning director briefs Manassas Park on transportation, jobs and mutual aid

Clark Mercer, executive director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), told the Manassas Park City Council on May 5 that regional coordination is critical for transportation, public safety and economic development.

“Why regionalism?” Mercer asked rhetorically during a broad COG overview, and summarized the argument: "When we're more connected, we're safer, we're thriving, and we're healthier." He described COG’s Visualize 2050 regional plan and said that Manassas Park projects in the plan include more than $500,000 for congestion mitigation, roughly $25 million for the Connor Drive extension and roundabout, and about $80 million tied to VRE property acquisition affecting Manassas, Manassas Park and Alexandria.

Mercer highlighted transportation funding mechanisms, noting that federal dollars are typically tied to projects contained in metropolitan long‑range plans and that Metro faces a capital shortfall he placed at about $460 million (to be split across DC, Maryland and Virginia). He also described the region’s mutual aid arrangements, public‑safety interoperability databases and a real‑time crime dashboard COG operates for participating jurisdictions.

On jobs and economic strategy, Mercer cited recent labor data showing an approximate one‑year decline of 119,000 jobs in the region (about 60,000 of those federal), and said COG has launched a Talent Capital portal that aggregates regional job resources and uses AI to match applicants to openings. He told the council COG is pursuing a regional comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS) to strengthen the region’s competitiveness and help attract non‑federal employers.

Mercer offered several follow‑up options for Manassas Park, including technical assistance, deeper staff briefings on particular topics and cooperative‑purchasing contracts the city could join to reduce costs on items ranging from road salt to public‑safety equipment. He invited council members to request staff‑level follow‑ups and noted upcoming COG events focusing on data‑center siting, infrastructure and finance.

Council members asked questions about diversifying the regional economy, leveraging local bank partnerships for housing programs, and the mechanics of cooperative contracting. Mercer encouraged jurisdictions to pursue regionwide economic planning to strengthen funding applications and federal designations.