The worst of the roadwork on Columbia Pike is finally coming to an end.
Residents and business owners alike are breathing a sigh of relief as the extensive Columbia Pike Multimodal Improvements project approaches “substantial completion” — meaning reopened lanes and sidewalks.
“Final paving and road markings are complete on all road segments, and the sidewalk reconstruction is complete in most areas, with the remainder to be finished by end of 2025,” Claudia Pors, a spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Services, told ARLnow.
Andrew Schneider, executive director of the Columbia Pike Partnership, celebrated the approaching completion of a project that dragged on for years, frustrating motorists and pedestrians up and down the Pike, along with the businesses that rely on their patronage.
“We are both incredibly excited and incredibly relieved this is coming to a close,” Schneider told ARLnow.
Looking ahead at 2026, Pors forecast relatively smooth sailing for the South Arlington thoroughfare as work winds down. Teams are currently installing the last of the new bus shelters, which will later receive artwork and any remaining components like benches, waste bins and flag poles.
Crews expect to finish planting and landscaping over the next couple months as utility companies coordinate on removing their old equipment. Finally, the county will conduct quality assurance work and other tasks to bring the project to final completion, Pors said.
“We thank the Columbia Pike community for their patience during this large and complex construction project, and we look forward to seeing a completed Pike that’s safe and enjoyable for everyone no matter how they get around,” she said.
Schneider described the years of roadwork as “an incredibly painful time” for the community — one that he hopes provides a lesson for future projects elsewhere in Arlington.
In particular, Schneider is optimistic that the whole corridor will benefit from a renewed sense of “certainty” that may spur additional interest and investment. He’s also eager to free up resources that had been devoted to dealing with the roadwork’s direct and indirect impacts.
“Once the project is completed, we will be able to take that energy and those resources, and refocus them on welcoming people to the Pike and supporting the businesses that are here,” he said.
Schneider acknowledged that the end of construction likely won’t “open the floodgates” on further investment in the area. Overall, however, he said he’s excited to “show off” the Pike and lean into its future growth.
“It gives me all the more reason to look ahead to 2026 and the future with a sense of optimism and renewed enthusiasm and commitment to supporting the entire Pike ecosystem,” he said.
