The PYMIG held a virtual meeting via Zoom on May 24, 2021, at 7:00 pm.  The meeting’s purposes were to discuss upcoming City administrative project activities, have the builders (Potomac Yard Constructors or PYC) provide an update on the Metrorail Station’s progress, and update the future construction schedule.  The agenda, presentation materials, and video of the meeting are available here. (Note: The video is approximately 74 minutes long; however, the first 32:14 of the video recorded PYMIG members checking in for the meeting.  The meeting begins at 32:15)

1. Upcoming Administrative Project Activities. The original permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Virginia Water Control Board granted permanent use of 1.56 acres of National Park Service (NPS) wetlands for the new Metrorail station and granted temporary use of another 2.01 acres of wetlands for construction activities and material storage. Through aggressive management of construction activities, PYC has only needed 1.01 acres of the temporary use wetlands. Therefore, the City will resubmit the permits to reflect the reduced usage and impact to the wetlands (slides 5-9).  Additionally, the City will change the Development Special Use Permit to reflect the addition of a stone retaining wall on the east side of the path our residents will use to access the Metrorail station (slide 10) as required by agreement with the NPS.
2. Metrorail Station Construction. An extensive collection of photos shows construction progress throughout the project (slides 13-38).
3. Future Schedule. You can find PYC’s short-term construction schedule (June through October 2021) on slide 39. You can find the long-term project schedule (through project completion in March 2022) on slide 40.  WMATA estimates three partial shutdowns in June, with WMATA using a single track.
4. Pile Driving. Approximately 18 months ago in late November 2019, the NPS informed PYC that piles would have to be installed to support the retaining wall protecting the wetlands. The December 17, 2019, PYMIG Notes stated that the retaining wall would need approximately 125 piles.  However, it was not known at that time if the piles would be driven or bored.  PYC now says they will have to be driven piles, albeit shallower than bedrock.  The pile driving is scheduled to begin in August 2021 and will last approximately six weeks. We requested PYC begin driving the piles closest to our homes and work their way north, so the sound reduces over time.
5. Time-Lapse Camera. PYC installed a time-lapse camera in the construction area on April 8, 2021. You can view time-lapse videos of construction progress; selectable timeframes are Entire Project (beginning April 8), Last Day, Last 7 Days, and Last 30 Days.  You access the time-lapse camera here.

update courtesy of Steve Crime – PG neighborhood’s PYMIG liaison