Under Construction

What's Being Done

This project involves water main relocation and and an upgrade to water facilities owned by Fairfax Water and the City of Falls Church. A new water main will be installed for Fairfax Water along Gallows Road and east of Gallows Road (Route 29), and another water main installed for the City of Falls Church along Route 29 from west to east. To do this, there will be four micro-tunneling operations at the intersection.

The project will replace an old system that could start cracking, requiring traffic detours and a stoppage of water supply until the pipe would be repaired. This will also prepare a new roadway for construction with minor utility relocation.

Once the work is complete, improvements to Gallows Road and Route 29 can begin.

Project Updates

Survey work on Gallows Road north of Lee Highway is in progress.  Location balls that assist with providing information for utilities on location, elevation and underground type are being programmed. The contractor began installing the 24-inch water main on the left side of northbound Gallows Road on August 31, 2009. This work is being performed daily from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.  The contractor has completed installation of the 24-inch main along the northern section Gallows Road and has started installation of the 36-inch water main, also along the northern section. In November, the contractor will move the crew to the south end of Gallows Road and start installing the 24-inch water main.

In September, the contractor began installing the 12-inch water main along southbound Gallows Road, about 35 to 40 feet left of the shoulder. There should be no traffic impacts from these activities.

Traffic Impacts

Though most of the pipe is located off of the roadway, there will be possible lane closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as occasional night lane closures for roadway crossings. Lane closures throughout the weekend are permitted.

Starting Sunday, Oct. 18, the contractor will have nighttime lane closures to install water main laterals along southbound Gallows Road. The work should last at least one week.

Environmental Considerations

There has been ongoing cleanup of underground storage tanks and contaminated soils within the project limits. Where one micro-tunneling pit is to be excavated there is contaminated soil to be excavated. During the time this pit is in use, ground water from the pit will be pumped into a tanker truck and transported to a legal disposal site for processing.

Project Number

0029-029-762, C509

Field Contacts

Larry Lethcoe, Construction Manager, 703-207-7212
Larry Tomlinson, Area Construction Engineer, 703-383-2075

Contacts