Columbia Pike Utility Undergrounding & Streetscape Improvements: County Line to Four Mile Run

Construction Update – October 2019

Fort Myer’s crews are completing the final elements of the sanitary sewer installation and continue with installation of the storm sewer mains in the middle of Columbia Pike.

Ongoing lane closures and traffic congestion are expected as construction continues along this segment. Be safe and watch out for construction workers and pedestrians within the area. Adhere to work zone signs and cross at designated crosswalks.

Installation of the retaining wall on the east side of South Jefferson Street, at the Wildwood Apartments, is scheduled to begin the week of Oct. 21. The sidewalk on the east side of Jefferson Street will be closed between Columbia Pike and Wildwood’s Jefferson Street access. The ADA ramp at the corner of Columbia Pike and South Jefferson Street will remain open.
Retaining wall work is taking place on the east side of South Frederick Street, between Columbia Pike and 10th Street South. This will require a sidewalk closure for approximately two weeks.
Curb and gutter installation is starting on the north side of Columbia Pike, adjacent to 5353 Columbia Pike, and is proceeding west. The sidewalk at 5353 will remain open; however, the westbound bus stop has been relocated to South Greenbrier Street.
The duct bank system, which allows utility companies to place their lines underground, has been completed on the western portion of this project segment, from South Greenbrier Street to South Jefferson Street. Dominion Energy is in the process of pulling cables through the duct system. Verizon and Comcast will follow.

Speed limit reduced to 25 mph

The speed limit in the work zone has been reduced from 35 mph to 25 mph. This change will be in place through the remainder of project construction.

Bus stops relocated

The westbound stop at Columbia Pike and South Dinwiddie Street, next to the Columbia Pike Shopping Center, has been temporarily relocated east near the Arlington Mill Community Center.
The westbound stop at 5353 Columbia Pike has been temporarily relocated west to South Greenbrier Street.
The eastbound stop at Columbia Pike and South Columbus Street has been temporarily relocated east near the 7-Eleven.
The eastbound stop at South Frederick Street has been removed to allow for the installation of a retaining wall.

Location

Columbia Pike from the Arlington/Fairfax County line to Four Mile Run (aka, the west end)

Status

Construction

Fort Myer, the County’s contractor for this project, received its Notice to Proceed on Feb. 20, 2018. Crews are beginning construction on the undergrounding phase first, moving in a west (South Jefferson Street) to east (Four Mile Run Bridge) direction.

Total project construction, including utility undergrounding and street improvements, is expected to last approximately three years.

Fort Myer will continue performing intermittent night work along Columbia Pike, as needed, when work is being performed at intersections. Nighttime work hours will be 9 pm to 7 am, Monday through Friday. Noise impacts will include back-up alerts from construction vehicles and noise from heavy vehicles and equipment (i.e. loaders, excavators, compressors, dump trucks, etc.).

The contractor has the option of Saturday work for the duration of the project. Saturday work hours are 10 am to 6 pm.

About the Project

This work is part of the Columbia Pike multimodal project that will make Columbia Pike a safer, more accessible route for all users. Arlington is transforming this main thoroughfare into a complete street that balances all modes of travel and supports high-quality, high-frequency transit service.

In addition to visible improvements to the road, extensive work will occur below the roadway – to replace aging and leak-prone water and sewer pipes and to bury existing overhead utilities underground.

Public Process

Staff provided the following project update to the Columbia Forest Civic Association in March 2018 and the Arlington Mill Civic Association in May 2018:

In May and June 2017, staff from the project team and public art gave project updates to community stakeholders: