Work is set to begin this week on a new water main in Charlottesville to improve the reliability of service in the city and parts of surrounding Albemarle County.
Construction crews are expected to begin their work on Lewis Street and head north toward the University of Virginia, according to the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority.
Residents living along the pipeline’s 5-mile path should expect traffic delays, noise and pedestrian detours throughout the course of the work, which is not expected to be completed until November 2028.
That said, the work will be conducted in phases so as to limit its impact:
Stage 1, from Hereford Drive-Stadium Road to Lewis Road, will start this week and should take until February 2026 to complete.Stage 2, from Jefferson Park Avenue to Cleveland Avenue-Woodland Drive, is expected to take from January 2026 to August 2026.Stage 3, from Cleveland Avenue-Woodland Drive to Cherry Avenue-Shamrock Road, from July 2026 to January 2027.Stage 4, from Cherry Avenue-Shamrock Road to Cherry Avenue-Spring Street, from December 2026 to July 2027.Stage 5, from Cherry Avenue-Spring Street to Roosevelt Brown Boulevard, from June 2027 to October 2027.Stage 6, from Cherry Avenue-Roosevelt Brown Boulevard to Elliott Avenue-Ridge Street, from October 2027 to December 2027.Stage 7, from Elliott Avenue-Ridge Street to Sixth Street Southeast-Blenheim Avenue, from December 2027 to April 2028.Stage 8, from Sixth Street Southeast-Blenheim Avenue to Sixth Street Southeast-Avon Street, from March 2028 to July 2028.Stage 9, from Avon Street to 10th Street Northeast-East Market Street, from April 2028 to November 2028.
According to the water and sewer authority, work will typically occur between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, though some night work will be required at certain intersections, including Fontaine Avenue-Lewis Street, Cherry Avenue-Ridge Street and 10th Street Northeast-East Market Street.
Access to all businesses and private property along the pipeline’s path should be provided during the construction.
There may be temporary steel plates used on site, and all trenched areas will be either backfilled or covered with the steel plates, the water and sewer authority said.
Patch paving is set to occur regularly, and permanent paving should happen every 60 days.
“The new finished water transmission pipe will connect transmission main pipes from both the South Rivanna Water Treatment Plant and Observatory Water Treatment Plant to allow for better water flow through our community’s systems while providing a backup path for water to travel should another finished water transmission pipe break,” the water and sewer authority said in a statement announcing the construction schedule. “This project marks a significant endeavor that will provide immediate benefits upon completion for current and future generations.”
For more information about the pipeline project, visit rivannawater.org/central-water-line-project.
Source: www.dailyprogress.com