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

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New phase of construction

On Saturday, May 30, the contractor will start the next phase of construction on Columbia Pike between South Greenbrier Street and South Dinwiddie/Columbus Street. This moves the work zone to the north side of Columbia Pike, with travel lanes shifted to the south.

During the next phase, which is expected to last up to two months, this section of Columbia Pike will have:

One lane open westbound
Two lanes open eastbound
Left turns prohibited in both directions

The work on the north side will require temporary sidewalk closures, and ADA detours will be provided.

View alternate route and local detour maps

Thanks for your patience during construction. Businesses along this section of Columbia Pike are still open – please support them!

Construction Updates

Upcoming work and expected impacts

The Two-Week Construction Update describes construction activities planned for Monday, June 1 through Sunday, June 14 and their expected impacts.

Sidewalk on the north side of Columbia Pike between South Dinwiddie Street and the west entrance of Columbia Pike Plaza shopping center will be closed. Pedestrians should cross Columbia Pike using crosswalks at the Dinwiddie Street and Frederick Street intersections to traverse this area.
- The westbound bus stop in front of the shopping center has been temporarily moved west, to the other side of the shopping center’s west entrance.
The east entrance of the Columbia Pike Plaza shopping center will be closed completely for the next two to three weeks. After full depth roadway and driveway in front of the east entrance is constructed, the east entrance will be opened to traffic and the west entrance will be closed completely. One of the two shopping center entrances on Columbia Pike will always stay fully open.
Half of the driveway entrances on the north side of Columbia Pike between South Dinwiddie Street and South Greenbrier Street will be closed during roadway and driveway construction. Impacted properties include:
- Key Garden Apartments
- Arbor Heights Apartments
- Palazzo Condominiums

Relocated bus stops

Bus stops will be temporarily moved during construction for this project and the Transit Stations project. See a list of relocated bus stops

Location

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

Status

Construction

Fort Myer Construction, the County’s contractor for this project, received its Notice to Proceed on Feb. 20, 2018. Crews began 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, until early 2021.

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

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

This open house provided information on two Columbia Pike projects that had entered new phases of construction: Multimodal and Transit Stations.

December 2019: Staff provided a project update to the County Board - View the presentation