A pair of infrastructure projects are getting underway in Rosslyn, seeking to improve pedestrian safety and restore the structural integrity of a major sewer line.
Both projects, which seek to avoid potentially serious consequences for local residents, may bring temporary road and sidewalk closures.
Sidewalk improvements
The first initiative aims to improve sidewalk safety at the intersection of eastbound Langston Blvd and Fort Myer Drive — just south of where a woman on an electric scooter was fatally struck by a bus last month. Crews will extend curb ramps in both directions at the intersection and will widen a stretch of sidewalk along Fort Myer Drive.
The project has the following goals, according to a project page.
- Widen the west sidewalk on Fort Myer Drive between Langston Boulevard eastbound and westbound lanes
- Shorten crossing distances on Fort Myer Drive by extending the corner curbs at the intersection of Fort Myer Drive and Langston Boulevard eastbound
- Replace and upgrade signal infrastructure at Fort Myer Drive and Langston Boulevard eastbound, and at North Nash Street and Langston Boulevard eastbound
During construction, sidewalks and lanes will temporarily close and detour as needed to keep crews and travelers safe,” a recent Rosslyn transportation update said. “Please follow all signs and proceed through the area with care.”
So far, crews have installed tree protection in anticipation the project beginning this spring, Arlington County transportation spokesperson Claudia Pors told ARLnow. The upgrades are expected to finish by next spring.
Sewer line repairs
Elsewhere in Rosslyn, a rehabilitation project is starting at a major sewer line that serves the entirety of the neighborhood.
Crews will be relining 2,300 linear feet of the Rosslyn large diameter interceptor, identified in spring 2016 as having “moderate-to-severe deterioration.”
“Many sections were deemed to require immediate rehabilitation due to structural deficiencies which allow for significant infiltration and inflow and could lead to structural failure,” a project webpage says.
This stretch of sewer line was originally constructed in the 1930s as the Potomac Interceptor. A portion of the modern-day Potomac Interceptor collapsed in January, spewing millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River.
Work on this project began in April and is expected to last through late September. An expected project timeline is below.
- Phase 1 – Bypass Setup (starting at 19th Street North and North Lynn Street, down 19th Street North to North Arlington Ridge Road and then Wilson Boulevard): April-May
- Phase 2 – CIPP Lining: May-July
- Phase 3 – Bypass Teardown (starting at 19th Street North and North Lynn Street, down 19th Street North to North Arlington Ridge Road and then Wilson Boulevard): August
- Phase 4 – Site Restoration: September
