Below you’ll find notes from the November 19 PYMIG meeting, courtesy of our neighborhood’s PYMIG liaison, Steve Crime.
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November 19, 2019, PYMIG Meeting Summary
The PYMIG held a meeting at the Charles Houston Rec Center on November 19, 2019, at 7pm. The purpose of the meeting was to update the status of the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) environmental permit, review the Metrorail project’s extended schedule, update the near-term construction schedule, and to review traffic concerns. The agenda, presentation materials, and video of the meeting are available at https://www.alexandriava.gov/PotomacMetroWorkGroup (Note: The presentation material slides will significantly aid in understanding the synopsis of the different change options.)
1. Environmental Permit. The USACE recently completed its work on the Joint Permit Application process (JPA), and the City announced it received the USACE’s Clean Water Act Section 404 permit for the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station project (slide 2). This is the final permit issued through the JPA process, and the last state or federal permit required for major construction of the station to begin.
2. Metrorail Extended Construction Schedule. The construction contract specified a 42-month construction timeline. The builders presented a schedule that anticipates the station will open in the March-April 2022 timeframe (slide 4).
3. Near-Term Construction Schedule (slide 11).
a. Demolition work on the traffic circle is beginning. The builders will remove the benches and start removing some of the plantings/trees. However, the builders cannot remove the outer portion of the circle until Dominion Power removes the eastern streetlight in the circle.
b. Now that work can begin in the wetlands, the builders will clear trees and shrubs from the area of the station. That work is scheduled to start on December 2, 2019. Fill will be added in stages over the ensuing 3-4 months. The builders stated that soil stabilization using controlled modulus columns (CMCs), versus piles driven into the earth, will begin in mid-January 2020. A video that explains what CMCs are and shows the CMCs being installed can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GXDK24rbck.
4. Traffic and Parking Board.
a. The Board has approved the removal of two parking spaces on the eastern side of Potomac Greens Dr. in front of Rustico. Within the next several weeks, the City will install a left turn signal from Slaters Lane to Potomac Greens Drive to accommodate construction traffic.
b. The PYMIG asked the City to install better signage on Slaters Lane, so westbound traffic traveling from the GW Parkway will clearly understand which lanes are for US 1 South and US 1 North. We asked for signage on Slaters Lane that warns eastbound traffic of the left turn signal at the intersection of Slaters Lane and Potomac Greens Drive. We asked for a longer green light at the intersection of Slaters Lane and GW Parkway, so westbound traffic on Slaters Lane would have more time to turn North onto GW Parkway. Lastly, we discussed some pedestrian safety improvements on southbound US 1 where trucks will travel toward the beltway.
c. The City Council will consider an amendment to the residential parking program at the City Council Meeting on December 14, 2019, in the Council Chambers. The wording of the amendment is not yet final but is expected to make it easier to establish residential parking districts.
5. Upcoming meetings.
a. The BAR will meet on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at 7pm in Council Chambers at City Hall.
b. The PYMIG will meet on Tuesday, December 17, 2019, at 7pm at the Charles Houston Rec Center, 901 Wythe St.