The closing of Jarmans Gap Road between Haden Lane and Blue Ridge Avenue, first expected in June and four times delayed, is now due to happen September 12. Reopening is expected by November 12. The task of installing precast concrete box culverts—each comes as an eight-foot by eight-foot section—is scheduled to take six weeks. Powells Creek will be temporarily diverted around the current bridge to allow the new culvert to be installed. During the closure, residents of Haden Lane will be able to turn left on Jarmans Gap Road. The postponements are not expected to affect the projects’ final completion target of September 2012.
VDOT says the delays are the result of discrepancies between where waterlines are shown to be on drawings and where they have in fact been found. Work on waterlines can be tedious because lines must be restored every day to the houses they serve and cannot be allowed to become contaminated while they are being worked on.
The improved road, formerly 20 feet wide, will be 32 feet wide, gutter to gutter, with 12-foot-wide lanes and four-foot-wide bike lanes as well. A sidewalk will be built in the north side of the road. VDOT expects work on the section from Old Trail Drive to Gray Rock to begin after Christmas.
