West Street Project Gets Under Way

By FALLS CHURCH CITY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS and FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
September 8, 2015

The South West Street roadbed reconstruction project (www.fallschurchva.gov/SWestSt) officially begins today, and the first phase is expected to last two to three weeks.

During this period, two lanes of traffic will be maintained at all times and parking will be temporarily restricted on both sides of the road between Abbott Lane and Poplar Drive. Driveway access for residents will be maintained outside of work hours, which are currently scheduled for 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., which means that such access will be restricted during active construction times.

Roadbed reconstruction is a more expensive and time-consuming project compared to traditional repaving, but it will yield a greater return on investment for taxpayers, City officials say, because it will last far longer than would the alternative.

“With traditional paving, you’re just throwing away money,” City Public Works Director Mike Collins told the Falls Church Times in June. “We’d be back in 5-7 years.” But with this approach, he said the bottom layers will last 60 years and the paving will last for 20.

The contracted construction company will use a method called “full-depth reclamation,” which will help deliver the project in an efficient manner and provide access to driveways more consistently. This project is budgeted through the Capital Improvements Projects program.