Yeah, Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and start the webinar then
Good evening. Welcome to the National Park Service. George Washington Memorial Parkway.
Public information session for the North Parkway Rehabilitation Project I'm.
Clear Shields, acting Chief of staff at the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
I will be your moderator for this evening. Next slide, please.
We are holding this virtual meeting to provide information on the upcoming rehabilitation of the North Parkway and the impacts that this project may have.
If you are not already aware, closed captions are available for this meeting.
Click close caption found in the meeting controls at the bottom of your zoom screen to start viewing the closed captioning.
Throughout the meeting. we invite you to submit questions through the Q. and A.
Box in zoom. These questions will be addressed after the presentation as part of the question and answer session.
We will read your question aloud, and our presenters and panel members will respond.
The team will do their best to answer all questions, but in the event we do not get to your question.
We will provide contact information at the end of the presentation, where you can go for post meeting.
Follow up. This meeting will be 90 min long. We will adjourn at 8 30 Pm.
If we get through all of the questions early, the meeting will conclude.
Once all questions have been answered, and please note that this meeting is being recorded before we dive into the presentation.
I would like to take a minute and introduce our presenters next slide.
Joining us this evening as presenters. our Charles Kavilia, Superintendent at the George Washington Memorial Parkway, also Caitlin Shine House, Architectural Engineer, and project Manager for the National Park.
Service. We also have several additional panelists available to answer questions.
They include representatives from the Us. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration Fort Myer Construction, engineering design, Firm, Wsp.
And representatives from Virginia Department of Transportation.
They will introduce themselves if they are called upon to answer a question.
Next slide. We appreciate you joining us this evening to learn more about the rehabilitation project.
Our agenda will cover a brief overview of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
Before turning to the details of the project and the project schedule.
We will close that this evening with a question and answer session.
I will now turn the presentation over to Charles Cavalier, superintendent at the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
Thank you so much, Claire. Appreciate your support this evening, and thank the entire team for their ability to pull this presentation together and engage our our neighbors in our communities next next slide.
Please. I think it's really important that we we ground ourselves, and kind of the purpose of the park, and why we exist.
Next slide, please, and it is a reminder that George Washington Mall Parkway was created as a scenic route on a Nation's first President really about protecting and preserving our cultural natural resources.
Congressional act of 1930 that created the parkway it's really about a comprehensive system of parks, parkways, and recreational areas that's around the nation's capital.
I think this image really depicts the unique nature and features that exist all up and down the George Washington Memorial place.
Next slide, please. What are some of those unique attributes?
Of course, from Great Falls to Mount vernon the road itself, and it's a natural features.
We also include the Claire Barton Parkway as part of our administrative responsibilities.
It was designed originally with recreational driving, and as part of a Parkways movement of the 19 thirtys is listed on the National Register of Historic places.
For its unique design and other considerations, it really links sites that are important.
To commemorate the comport important episodes in American history.
We have the honor privilege of protecting habitat for a local wildlife with areas of the park which are relatively intact urban forests.
We really like to think about it as more than a parkway next slide
Part way is envision by the early designers of roads and the National Park Service really envision.
A parkway is a thin part with a road through it. and when you think about that that speaks to these significant resources that we have, we have a history of indigenous peoples here, including the Ivan Quinn the iroquois and
suen. We have great Falls and Navig Board is an unique feature of the Potomac River that sits up there in the great Falls area.
We operate, you know, responsible for Arlington House. The Robert E.
Lee Memorial, a historic house museum telling important stories of our nation's history, and the individuals that live there.
We have more than 7,000 acres and we're a 100 endangered in 380 species, and recently Turkey Run is one identified as one of the most biodivers areas in the Washington, Dc.
Area. Even as recently as A. in the last year, finding new species insects within the park, we have more than 2 dozen associated sites is depicted in the images there, including locations like bike marsh The Linden baines
Johnson Memorial Grove, Clara Barton National Historic Site, and Theodore Roosevelt Island.
Next slide like in introduce. Now, caitlin shinehouse. Caitlin's been our project Lead is gonna give you an opportunity to kind of a little bit of what we have in store with the North Park.
Rehabilitation. Thank you, Charles, for the introduction.
Good evening, everybody. I am caitlin shine house and i'm, the project manager for the North Parkway rehabilitation project next slide, please.
So the north section of the parkway was open in 1,962, and no major rehabilitation project has been undertaken since the opening.
The this project is funded from the great American outdoors act would not be possible without it.
The great American Outdoors Act, which was passed in 2020 improves infrastructure, and expands recreational opportunities in national parks and other public lands.
The legislation established the national parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund, which provides 1.9 billion dollars per year for 5 years to make significant enhancements in the national parks and other public lands
ensuring their preservation, and providing opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.
The great American outdoors act, along with other construction funding sources, are part of a concerted effort to address the extensive maintenance backlog at national parks.
This project will ensure that the historic parkway will continue to provide a safe scenic and smooth experience for the 70,000 vehicles.
Use the parkly daily, whether they're using the parkway to connect to our nation's history, or as a way to get to and from our nation's capital.
Next slide, please. The project is a rehabilitation of a approximately 7.6 miles of the northern section of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, between Spout Run and the I.
495 interchange. The project is located in both Fairfax and Arlington counties in Virginia.
This project is a design build project which means the contractor is working with an engineering design firm to complete the final design phases.
This method allows innovation and a reduced schedule, since the designer and contractor are working hand in hand, and while construction is underway on some sections of the highway, design work is continuing for other sections along with
asphalt repairs to the roadway 128 drainage outlets, and the bridge is located along the section of the parkway are included in the project.
I'll provide more details on the scope of the project later in the presentation.
Next slide, please. As noted earlier, the fiscal roadway is reaching the end of its lifespan.
The images on this slide know the current condition of the parkway, including damage, sections of guardrail, deterioration at drainage infrastructure, and also it stone guard walls that line the parkway some of You might
remember the single one may 2019 that required emergency repairs due to failure of adjacent drainage infrastructure.
This project will repair and rehabilitate deteriorating aspects of the roadway, as well as implement safety improvements.
While preserving the cultural and historical characteristics of the parkway. An environmental assessment was performed in 28 team that informed the design decisions for the project.
The assessment is available to the public and can be accessed from Pepsi.
The National Park services, planning environment and public Comment website. Next slide, please.
This specific scope of the work for the rehabilitation project includes replacing the asphalt pavement.
Redesigning of the route. 1, 23 interchange repairing, stormwater management systems likeening entrance and exit lanes at some interchanges, reconstructing stone walls and roadside
barriers, rehabilitating the historic overlooks and reopening historic views along the parkway.
Next slide, please. 4 95 next design Bill project is an approximately 2.5 mile extension of the 4 95 express lanes from I 4 95 and Dallas toll road
interchange to the George Washington. memorial parkway that's currently under construction, as mentioned during the introduction representatives from V Dot are in attendance at the meeting tonight.
Our project team has engaged with the V dot 4, 95 next project team. ornate construction activities for both projects, since coordination meetings are held regularly to discuss upcoming scheduled activities as well as
each project's transportation management plan. next slide. please you may have seen the project team along the George Washington Memorial Parkway corridor or experienced a temporary enclosure as pre-construction activities have been
underway. For the last several months activities have included environmental field reviews for trees, wetlands, and rare threatened and endangered plants and animals.
The team has also conducted survey work for drainage structures, utilities, soil testing bridges and bat and birds nest sip bridges.
Additionally, traffic data was collected earlier the spring next slide, please.
Ongoing activities include finalizing the steel back timber guard, real details.
The steel back Timber guard rails will replace the Metal Guard rails at the north section of the parkway, and will be similar and designed to those around Gravity Point and Rochester Run near National Airport the images on
the right side of the screen show safety testing, which is a vital part of the design process for the guard rail assemblies. Mockups of the stone guard wall repairs for rebuild purposes are upcoming this will allow the
design built team along with National Park service and Federal highway administration to review craftsmanship prior to wise scale implementation.
Additionally, the tree survey, which identifies the size and species of the trees located within the project area is still underway.
Next, slide, please.
The contractor has been given parking lot c. 2 and partial use of parking Lot B, A.
Turkey Run Park, along with the parking area in South Tricky Run part just formally.
Notice club more farms. The staging areas allow the contractor to store materials and equipment along with temporary site offices for the duration of the project.
Next, slide, please.
So construction activities are tentatively scheduled to begin in August, and are anticipated to be completed in late 2,025 weather permitting and pending permit approvals This
graphic shows how Redway construction will be done in phases Starting with temporary widening between I, 495 interchange and The root, 123 interchange The branch
rehabilitations are on separate schedule.
For instance, construction activities will occur on 2 bridges between 123, and spell run.
The bridge work is independent of the roadwork because some of the bridge work has weather restrictions, and can only be performed between early spring to late fall.
We'll talk more in detail about this in a couple of slides as work progresses.
National Park Service will continue to notify the public prior to the start of work in new areas.
Next slide, please. As mentioned, the previous slide roadway construction will start in August with temporary winding between.
I, 495 and root 2123, shown in the 2 areas outlined with red rectangles.
Next slide. Please to start the temporary winding activities.
Selective trees and vegetation will be removed to allow for the installation of the temporary laying and crossovers.
The tree survey that is in progress is noting the size and species of the trees within the limits of the project, so that a record is kept of the impact of trees.
This one formed the replanting plan, which is currently in design as part of the project, to rehabilitate the cultural landscape of the parkway.
Historic vestas and view sheds will be restored.
Similarly, the designs for the vistas and view sheds are currently in design.
Next slide, please. This image shows an example of what the temporary widening may look like in the first segment of work.
The construction crew will temporarily widen the northbound lanes by adding one additional lane on the inside shoulder.
In the grassy areas. the team will mill down the existing curve, excavate the soil, excavate the median, and build a temporary widening.
The team will continue with temporary widening until it is complete.
From I*-* to route 123.
This is expected to be complete. Midfall weather permitting a barrier we placed once the temporary winding is complete.
This will likely be set on a weekend enclosure Period is longer.
Only one side of the parkway will have temporary 8 foot winding installed to reduce construction time.
Cell phone will be constructed without vehicles adjacent to work crews as shown in the image.
The parkway will operate in a three-lane configuration during instruction.
This allows the contractor greater access to the roadway less than the time needed to complete the project.
We will notify the public about the specifics regarding locations and timing as the work is upcoming.
Next slide, please. The bridge work is more of a stationary operation.
There is limited space on bridges, so widening is not possible.
The team will have 3 lanes open at all times with one reversible Lando comedy. traffic in the direction of peak travel barrier will separate the closed lane from the other travelings to protect the travel and public
from the construction crews. Most of the bridge work is subservice meeting.
Motorists and visitors will see a right link closure on the southbound lanes and equipment.
But most of the work will occur under the bridges, so cruise may not be visible to the traveling public.
The work includes the structure of pairs, such as peer caps, bearings, abutments, and bridge footings.
Along with painting the existing structural steel under the bridge.
With the majority of the bridge structures present on south of 1, 23 interchange to maintain Project Timelines bridge work for the project is scheduled to begin from the southern side of route, 120
3 Well, Roper continues on the northern side of root, 123 interchange.
This allows crews to work effectively and efficiently falls.
Weather restrictions from material installation and application, and maintains the project completion.
Timeline. The work. To reapultate this section of the parkway will have an impact on visitors for the duration of the project.
Driver should consider using alternate routes, and if you choose to use the parkway, proceed with caution.
This concludes the project overview section of the presentation i'll pass the presentation back to Claire.
He'll be providing instructions for the q and a session.
Thank you.
And with that I would like to say thank you to both Charles and Caitlin, and we will now turn to the Q.
And a portion of our meeting next slide. So if you have a question you would like to submit.
Please post it into the Q. and a box of zoom as described in the slide on the screen. additionally as shown on the slide.
You may also use the race hand feature in zoom.
If you wish to answer your if you wish to ask your question directly, we will then unmute your line.
We will leave this slide up for a few minutes, and then transition to a slide, providing additional information on some of the ways in which you can stay in touch or contact us with a additional questions.
As noted at the beginning of the meeting. we will be.
This meeting will be 90 min long, and we will adjourn at 8, 30 P.
M. and in the event the questions are all addressed before the end time, we will conclude the meeting.
So i'm just just gonna pull up the questions that we have received to date.
Okay, So our first question will night work be allowed during construction?
So the answer to that is that yes, night work is allowed per the contract. but the hours have not yet been established.
We will be able to provide more information. Once the schedule is developed and the work progresses.
Okay, The second question we've received and this is from J. K. Sorry. Don't know your name more than that.
Does the current plan allow for installing any form of bike, trail or bike lanes on this stretch of the parkway?
That would be a very valuable addition to the northern stretch of the park.
Well. The information assessment that was completed in 2,018 describes the extent of the project currently the creation of bike lanes or bike trails is not part of the scope of this project and if
you would like to see or read more about the environmental assessment we'll be putting up a link to our website on the slide shortly. and if you go to that's that website.
There is a a tile on that website you can click which says, project history and link to that is the full environmental assessment.
If you would like to read the scope of the project. Okay.
So the next question, comes from Jane Woodfin.
Could you give more details about plans for the 1 23 interchange will access lanes be widened? So I think I'm going to need one of my colleagues to come on screen and address that question if they
could.
Thank you, Claire. So Caitlin shine house National Park service.
So the plans for the 123 interchange are still under design. but currently
The access links are not going to be, are not gonna be widened at this time.
There is gonna be some design design changes to the ramps.
Coming off of the south side of the parkway.
But further details will be provided at a later date. Thank you.
Okay, Thank you, Kate, in for that. Okay? So hopefully, that also, answered Barbara.
You had a question about the root 123 interchange so hopefully that was covered with Caitlin's answer that she just gave.
If there's something you want clarified please feel free to drop a further question into the Q.
And a section So again, Barbara, you then have a question about habitat restoration.
What resources will be devoted to habitat restoration and invasive removal along the project areas.
During the presentation Caitlin mentioned that we will be restoring some of the cultural landscapes opening up the historical vistas.
There is a plan for one to one tree replacement with regard to any trees that will have to be removed, and replanting those as we go through naturally with the removal of those trees, there will be some invasive
removal alongside that which again will will help open up those vistas, so that once those the replanting takes place, those invasive species would have been removed.
So, Barbara, I hope that answers that question, and you have a follow up about stormwater management.
So could we please expand on the stormwater management improvements that are anticipated in this project.
Would anyone like, Okay, Kate Lane, We'll pass it over to you? Thank you, Claire.
So Caitlin Shine House, National Park Service, the stormwater management.
Improvements are part of this project so we are restoring many of the drop inlets which are the great that you see on the road.
Prism as you're driving along and then of course all the substructures that are involved with that the I think I mentioned earlier in this slide.
The presentation that the 128 drainage structures which are also known as outfalls, are also going to be repaired.
Those have we've just started working on the plans for those designs.
There's a few different options for each one and at this time.
It's currently under design. So again we'll be able to provide further information concerning those details.
Thank you.
Thank you, Kate. in for that. could I ask? At this point we switched to the next slide so that we can show the contact information.
Okay, So you can see on there that we have a website address that you can go to where you can get updates.
We will be constantly updating the construction information on that website as we go along.
As I mentioned, one of the boxes you can click on on that website is the project history, and that will link you to the environmental assessment which will give you some background to some of the choices that were made and some of the
decisions that were made in where we are now, with the project going forward.
So we'll turn to the next question and that is asking about temporary reversible lanes.
Could you expand on the temporary, temporary, reversible lane?
What is the plan to accomplish this safely? So, as Katie mentioned in the presentation, and showed in those diagrams on the one of the slides?
There will be a third lane which will be used as a temporary reversible lane to assist with rush hour traffic.
However, the operation of that has not yet been for finally decided on.
Obviously safety will be a priority for that both the safety of those use in the road and the safety of the crews working on the road.
So the the timing of one that will be switched, and how that will be switched, and how long that lane will operate for certain hours has to get to be decided so as soon as that information is available, we will communicate that with the
updates for the project, and so just move on to the next question.
Are there any plans to adjust the median barriers that prevent cross over during severe backup emergencies, including any semi-paved areas?
And that was Ryan that submitted that question. So to ask if somebody would.
Hey? We'll see you we can bring somebody else in for one of the questions.
But if Caitlin can can address that, Thank you, Claire.
So Caitlin Shine House National Park Service. The project does not include creation of a limited number of crossover areas at this time.
Concerning emergencies during construction. if There's any incidents. we are coordinating with us Park police to create plans and have their input on the design as shown so they are
actively involved in helping us with that. Thank you.
Thank you, Caitlin. And so Barbara follow up question from earlier.
Thank you, you thank you, thank just for our responses hopefully.
We've answered your questions. but you also asked if we plan to hold more sessions, such as this evenings.
As for the design, information becomes available, and the answer to that is is yes, we would hope, dependent as things progress, and there's information to communicate.
We will communicate that both on the website, and should further public information sessions be needed, we would be
We would set those up as a project moves forward. so at the moment. I am not seeing any more questions.
I hope that means that we've we've addressed many of your questions. but please feel free to drop those in the Q.
And A. i'm just gonna go off camera for a few minutes while I give folks a chance to think about if they do have any more questions that they would like to submit in that Q and A.
Box in zoom
Okay, I'm not seeing any more questions we scheduled the meeting until 8 30.
But if everyone feels that the questions have been answered, I just offer my colleagues any opportunity.
If they wanted to add anything before we we would close the meeting.
Okay, we have some questions. Pop up at that point. Okay.
So, so let's take a look
So all we plan to treat all the evasives along the parkway, or just the invasives close to the overlook.
That will be part of the construction area. So I think that moves into 2 different areas that moves into the construction activities themselves and ongoing park activities.
With regard to the removal of invasive species which will continue as it's currently Scheduled was overlap with okay was overlap section with 4 95 next so studied in the environmental
assessment, and that's april has submitted that question. So I ask one of my colleagues to maybe come on camera at the moment, if they could address the 495 next nexus with this project
sure, Claire, this is Charles. Good evening, April.
So the 2,018 ea came before the project next environmental assessment.
So we did not get it in our Ea. The use of the parkway as a connection to the project next was part of the project.
Next Ea. That is the sequencing them that occurred
Thank you, Charles. So next question from el. When is this starting?
And is the entire parkway going to be only one lane each way.
So this is starting in August. You may not necessarily see a immediate construction work on the roadway, but as we noted in the presentation, the bridge work will be starting, and the construction crews may be
working under bridges, so you may not necessarily see those construction workers on the roadway, but they may well be there under those bridges, the parkway going to be one lane each way.
There will definitely be a minimum of one lane each way with a third reversible lane.
And as we discussed the operation of that third reversible lane, we'll take into account safety considerations. and so the timing of that. and when that lane flits with regard to which way it goes south band, or
northbound will be something that we will communicate once that decision has been made.
So next question for Philip Robert Morris, with Wsp.
The designer record for the project with the design bill team.
I just wanted to add to that that there will be timeframes.
As Claire mentioned, where there will be only one lane in each direction.
But there are contract requirements on this project that during rush hour time frames. There needs to be 2 lanes in different directions, whether it be northbound or southbound, depending on the time of day.
So I don't want someone to think it'll be only 2 lanes, you know, 24 h a day.
Just want to add that
Great. Thank you, Robert. I appreciate that that clarification.
So next question: will the bridge work on the section south of 1 23 stop before full 2023?
So that's very specific i'm gonna ask if somebody could could address that.
With regard to the scheduling. Thank you, Claire.
So Caitlin Shine House National Park Service. Yes, some of the bridges will be started work.
As early as this August. that are self 1, 23.
Thank you. Thank you, Caitlin, and I'll just note as well that we are recording this presentation.
It will be posted on the website, the the meeting itself, also a Pdf.
Of the presentation will be available on the website. should be in the not too distant future.
So if you want to review any of the slides we we display tonight, there's a lot of useful information on those slides with regard to the the schedule in and the the timeline for the project.
So I would recommend you definitely check back on our website as we update that and put additional information on there.
So again, El question. When is this starting? It will be starting August 2022, so shortly and the next coming month.
Okay, so Betsy Costell apologies if i've not tonight. Your name correctly.
But Betsy has the hand raised So betsy we're gonna hopefully, see if the technology will work to a mute unmute you.
Now to ask your question.
Can you hear me? yes, yes, we can and I didn't. I was not fast enough.
I was trying to type. Also, I have a very practical question.
I may have I I used to commute on the Gw.
Parkway all the time, and I spent during I think it's called traffic, getting 10 h sitting on the Gw.
Parkway along with a lot of other people when it got iced over. and I had a question whether in your plans you are planning some kind of access emergency access for plows or salting So should such an such a
problem occur again. We will not be stuck because there is just no way to take us to the other lane.
There was no way for plows to get in. I kept wishing for men that would just go with a bunch of sand on the back and be able to put it on the road.
But I was wondering if that kind of emergency situation, whether they were plans that hopefully would leave the beautiful environment alone.
But would allow access to take care of such a emergency.
Situations. But see, yeah, thank You for your question i'm sorry you had that experience. So am I. I have a lot of company.
I was 10 h a long time. it is so.
Safety is always a priority, and I will just make maybe somebody who's okay, Charles, I see you've popped on. So i'll let you take this one most significant winners know that we added that a decade or more
ago, where it be, everything became iced over and it was all I but the same would be applied, you know, if if either of those things is that being looked at in your plans so in general our snow operations are
done by our maintenance crew Here in the park we don't contract out for snow removal wind conditions are suitable.
We do pre-treat the roadway which helps with those I know that all that rained off well, that's. That's the challenge, right? So if it's a rain event does not make pre treatment really suitable because you
look the the ability for that chemical to work it's an environmentally chemical, that friendly chemical we do use.
And then we do plowing operations I always encourage people.
Obviously you can't can't always control this if you can stay off the roadway.
That makes it safer for everyone, including our plan i'm never getting on the roadway in the snowstorm again.
Let me tell you. But yeah, sure ff there keep the road up.
I understand efforts will be done to keep the road open, and we try to also keep in the the loop with traffic information through Wpa, Tp.
Or other stations. Oh, I know I was on wtf and we're lots of people i'm asking you're doing structural changes to the road right now during that time there didn't appear to be any way for a
political, or as Sander to get to the northbound side as you, Redo.
The parkway. Now is the time to focus on. How can you set it up so that there is such emergency entrance.
Should another or another kind of you know major issue okay I mean that's I'm. I I realize that. but the plows couldn't get there.
Understand your question. This project does not create new entry points into the roadway or the road prism.
So. so once the construction is completed, the road character will largely be as you see it today.
Where you where you have, you know, on most highways, you see, emergency cross things where at least, you know, people could have entered from the southbound side and gotten on to the northbound side, or or cars could have been turned
around so that they could get out that's the rest of my answer to you, ma'am.
The in this project there are, there are going to be a limit number of crossovers created.
I think Ryan asked that question earlier. which will be in place at the end of the project, so that isn't attempt to in a limited number of circumstances create those opportunities you're describing and we're
with the part police and others to determine the final locations.
Well that that would have helped I don't I don't want to, you know I don't want to still have environmental destruction on that. but I I would hope you would have them again in a in that.
Is reflected in the environmental assessment. So we are are, are construct design and construction.
Decisions are connected assistant with what we shared in the 2018 environmental assessment.
Okay. Well, I didn't read the whole thing this is just highlighting that for you, ma'am.
Okay, thank you, Betsy, for that question. we'll move on to a couple of the other questions that we've received through the Q.
And a from April are they threatened and endangered species.
In this overlap 495 next section.
So just to let you know April, that for the entire corridor we we do coordinate extensively with the State and Federal agencies regarding our threatened and endangered species.
So all precautions are being taken with regard to any that are identified.
And then Sharon has a question about the 1 23 interchange.
We. You understand that we do not have the design of the route.
123 interchange. Yet when do you expect to have a design for this interchange?
So as we noted, this is a design build contract. so some of the design is still ongoing when the initial contract and construction work starts
So i'd ask if one maybe one of my colleagues has an idea, or can speak more to that 123, and change
This is Robert Morris with wsp the designer record.
I'm be happy to answer what where we are on that during the when we started working on this there was a it's, they say, rate reconfiguration.
But it's really just the adjustment of 2 of the ramps with the 123 interchange to try to improve the operations at the interchange.
I think that that would have been included in the environmental assessment as well.
That layout of that configuration and I believe that once we there'd be some information, probably posted on the project website that could, I would think, show kind of that configuration.
We're looking at right now, but in terms of the overall project design.
We're, you know, like it's what claire is mentioned with it being designed, build.
We can focus on different portions of the project so that's why, for instance, there's bridge work that's going to be starting sooner.
But well, a lot of the areas, like 123 are probably what we would call an intermediate phase, which is a little bit more than halfway designed. and
We are going to be continuing on that through this year.
Some of that work requires permits, as was mentioned earlier by Caitlin or by Charles, I think in the presentation.
So I think we should be able to post, probably, that a configuration of the interchange modifications that are gonna be happening.
Thanks. Thank you so much, Robert, for that. that clarification.
So we've had a few questions come in with regard to 495. next.
I don't want to get too far outside this construction and the the project we're focused on.
But i'm wondering i'll just read out a couple of those questions, and I don't know if maybe our Virginia Department of transportation colleagues just want to respond with anything with regard to updates
on 495 next. so April it putting a few questions with regard to removal of trees near the George Washington Memorial Parkway for the 495 next project, and the design plans where they those might
be available, and also in environmental impacts as they exist with regard to that border area with next to the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
So just wondering. Is there somebody? one of the palace would like to speak more about that.
495 next project area that that abuts the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Oh, hi! good evening!
This is Rimpal Sha. From the V. dot Mega Projects group.
I can provide the answer regarding the design plans from the 4 95 next project for the overlap area.
So the currently we are still in the final design phase by the design builder, and it's the final plans are not reviewed and appropriate by V.
Dot and other part of our daily viewer. So once those are finalized, it will be put up on the project website.
Now regarding the 3 there is a tree survey has been completed on the projects, but it is still under reviewing.
It's not finalized as soon as that will be done it will be make available on the project website.
I think Abby is also available from our side Every. Do you want to add anything on this?
Yes, this is Abbey. learned with v. that in Northern Virginia, working on on the 4 95 next.
I just wanna mention that all our environmental documents are on our website.
That includes the funding or not significant impact from fair highway as well as from the National Park service. and the area where there is overlap between these 2 projects in terms of 4 95 next is being is being designed in
a manner that is consistent with what was included in the environmental documents
Thank you, Abby. and rim, Paul, and hopefully April.
That answered some of your questions. If you need any clarification, please put a follow up question in the Q.
And A. and you may also want to check the 495 next website with the the documents and name environmental documents that that are posted there.
So I have a question from anonymous, so not sure who put this one in.
But just a question on the timeline for design, for when more date details may be available, so the design will be progressing.
As the construction progresses, we will put more information on our website about construction impacts as that becomes available.
If anybody would like to speak more to that i'm happy for you to do so, or we can move on to to the next question.
Okay, I was just gonna add in terms of the time design timeline is Robert Morris again at Thesp.
Basically, it is as we talked about earlier, you know we've advanced bridge, some of the bridge rehabilitation work ahead, and as you heard earlier from caitlin the temporary widening work is going to start along the northbound
lanes. So those are the first. That was sort of the big focus initially with design.
But there is design work going on for the remainder of the project, and a lot of you know. You saw in the presentation, too, that we were coordinating with 4 95.
Next. that kind of is why we're looking to to work in that northern area earlier, knowing that that might be where their project is.
A little bit later in their schedule so it's part of that coordination, and and really the project will be broken into pieces to work on it.
The different elements of it. So you you it's not necessarily you know There, there's a timeframe out there when all design will be complete, but they'll be sort of interim milestones that are occurring along the
way. but but as we said, the initial ones will be here hopefully, you know, by the end of next month we'll be starting construction on some of the the 2 bridges that were mentioned payment run and glee
temporary, widening work.
Thank you, Robert. so ryan you entered.
I think more of a comment that acquies. but we can.
We can certainly speak to this. You mentioned that an accident a few weeks ago required completely turning around. i'm assuming the turning around the traffic rather than crossing over
You concerned about weather and accidents? thank you for that comment, and we certainly recognize that reversing traffic is not the most efficient manner to address a road closure due to an accident.
Investigation or other circumstances during the construction, the limited crossovers may provide some relief for that going forward in the future.
So then another question. submitted anonymously, which is perfectly fine.
We do not expect you to. submit your names when you put these questions in.
But in the team's opinion, what are the biggest risks to this project being able to be completed on schedule so obviously something that immediately comes to mind, and I think we've already mentioned it in some of the commentary
is whether in terms of some of this work is whether dependent.
And I would ask maybe some of my colleagues who were more versed in the actual construction aspects, to maybe add some commentary as to any other concerns that they may have with the project
So I just wouldn't want to base I just wanted to add real quick.
I don't know. If it'd be a concern but something that this this as we've talked about in this presentation, this roadway is not.
It's a unique facility. It has a lot of unique characteristics, and it provides access to a lot of important places. as well as just the overall history of the road.
So I think I wouldn't say it's a concern but we're making sure that we're trying to find that balance with doing these needed repairs to the road but doing it in a way that we try to minimize
impacts to a lot of those things that you've heard about tonight.
The different resources and the the elements that make this a special facility.
So I wouldn't characterize that to say that that's gonna delay the project. we're doing everything we can.
So it doesn't. But we just need to make sure that we do this right and not
Just charge forward and be too focused on that, on the on that aspect of things
Thank you, Robert, and that is a good reminder of the fact that, this parkway is part of a national park.
And a national red. It is on the national Register of historic places, so that is at the forefront of of everything we do.
So, as Robert said hopefully, that does not delay the project.
But this does make it different to projects that would just be focused on. For example, a highway so April, I can see you submitted a follow up question, asking V.
Dot about threatened and endangered species species in their studies before 95.
Next and about the findings i'd say to that that from the National Park Service perspective, we make our information available on our what we call our Pepsi side, which is our planning site, and and again, if you want to look
at those documents. you can go to the website that's currently listed on the slide that's on your screen.
And if you click on the project history section, there is a link there to all our environmental documents.
And I believe our V. Dot, Virginia Department of Transportation Colleagues, who spoke earlier, also said that that they have all their documents on their website.
So hopefully you can find those documents there, and they are available.
So. okay. Betsy, Betsy, you're back again.
So you want to ask another question so hopefully we can unmute you again.
So go ahead. Oh, nope hi I I think we've April!
So. April, I think, is to try and and and you too, so you can ask your question.
Go ahead!
Okay, have we been able to unmute April
April. If you are speaking we can't hear you at the moment
Okay, So April, we get actually getting an error message on our side.
That your version of zoom is not one that we can unmute you for apparently it's a version that's that that doesn't allow us to do that So again, my apologies for that and if
you want to go ahead and pop your question in the Q.
And a Yeah, and again you have a question for v dot and
With regard to the environmental documents. So I would just refer you to their website for their environmental documents and their invite environmental assessment impacts that they have done.
So looking to see if there's any more questions coming in we don't have any at the moment.
So again, i'm just gonna pop off camera for a few minutes to allow folks to submit your questions.
If you have any more questions.
Okay. So at this point i'm not seeing anything new in the question panel, I am just going to check again, and
We are not seeing anything popping up at the moment
Okay, So with just before 8 to clock, we mentioned that we would wrap up early if there were no further questions.
So I think at this point. we will do that. I would refer you to this slide that is currently on the screen.
If you have any questions. you can visit our website. We will be updating that regularly as the construction progresses and the project progresses for those of you who may be listening in.
You may have just dialed in and maybe don't see that slide.
I'll just repeat that the web site address is go That's. G.
O. N. Ps. gurve that's g o V. forward North Parkway, and that's available for more information and updates.
You can also receive updates by email. We will although we don't send out daily traffic information.
We will send out weekly, or perhaps less infrequently, updates when there are significant updates for the construction.
And so if you would like to opt into those emails you can send an email to Gwmp. underscore superintendent at Mps Dotv, and again, that's Gwmp superintendent at
Nps. Gov. And with that I would like to thank you all for joining us this evening, and for all your questions and your engagement on behalf of all the presenters and a panelists, i'd like to wish you