One reason for the six to eight-week street closure: This manhole, which leads deep underneath Albemarle Street near 32nd Street, will be completely rebuilt. (DC Water photo)
DC Water, now with permit in hand, has announced the start date for the final phase of the Soapstone Valley sewer rehabilitation project: Monday, September 9th.
On that day, Albemarle Street between Connecticut Avenue and 32nd Street NW will close to vehicle traffic, and DC Water says it will remain closed for the following six to eight weeks. During this time, the manhole at this location will be dismantled brick by brick, then rebuilt. And then, the final segment of the 115-year-old Soapstone sewer pipe will be relined.
The sidewalk on the south side of Albemarle will also be closed, but the north side will remain open to pedestrians. The Soapstone Valley Trail, which reopened on August 15th, will remain accessible from Audubon Terrace, Broad Branch Road and Windom Place.
The August 26th email announcing the September 9th start date erroneously states Audubon Terrace will be closed for this phase. Other work in the course of the project has required closing Audubon at times, but not this time.
Here is a modified version of DC Water’s email announcement, correcting the references to Audubon Terrace:
Final Phase Approaching!
We’re excited to announce that the Soapstone Valley Trail project is nearing its completion! As we enter the final phase of construction, we want to keep you informed about an upcoming road closure that will be necessary to ensure the project’s success.
Road Closure: [Albemarle Street] NW (September 9, 2024)
To facilitate the safe and efficient completion of the project, we will need to temporarily close [Albemarle Street] NW between Connecticut Avenue NW and 32nd Street NW. This closure will allow our construction crews to safely demolish an existing, outdated manhole and replace it with a modern structure that meets today’s safety and quality standards.
The road closure is expected to last for approximately 6 to 8 weeks. The initial two weeks of work will be carried out 24 hours a day to expedite the process. During this time, our crews will be focusing on carefully removing existing brickwork by hand.
Once the manhole upgrade is complete, our team will be able to insert the final sewer CIPP liner (Shot #10), marking a significant milestone in the project’s completion.
Our team will continue providing regular updates on the project timeline and any potential impacts to the community. Please refer to the anticipated schedule below for upcoming construction activities.
- Week of August 26, 2024
- Continue tree and vegetation maintenance throughout the park
- Week of September 2, 2024
- Continue tree and vegetation maintenance throughout the park
- Week of September 9, 2024
- Begin site mobilization at 32nd and Albemarle St NW
- Closure of Albemarle St NW from Connecticut Ave NW to 32nd St NW. Detour signs will be posted to safely redirect pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists around the construction zone.
- Installation of sewer bypass system
- Installation of traffic control measures including posting of signage and safety fence installation
- Begin manhole demolition at 32nd and Albemarle St NW
- Continue tree and vegetation maintenance throughout the park
Residents should expect the following:
- A long-term closure of Albemarle St NW between Connecticut Ave NW and 32nd St NW
- Closure of the southside sidewalk along Albemarle St NW
- Noise from equipment in operation. Here is a list of equipment to be used
- Dump Trucks
- Service Trucks & support tools/equipment
We extend our thanks to the community for their patience and understanding during the completion of this critical infrastructure project and park beautification.
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Michael Chorost says
Thank you for this coverage! Local news is so important.
Andy Orlin says
Thank you for this information. As always, the Forest Hills Connection continues to provide a great service to the community!!
While Albemarle Street between Conn. Ave and 32 nd Street will be closed to traffic, do you have any information if 32nd street will be open to traffic? Thanks.
FHC says
Street closure drawings we saw in June indicated access to Albemarle from 32nd Street would be closed off, but 32nd to Appleton and Brandywine would remain open. We have not seen updates indicating the plans have changed since then.
Paul says
Someday a nice welcome arch at the entrance of the Soapstone Valley trail at Albemarle would be a pleasant amenity. It would be a good project for a skilled craftsperson to create by reusing the old bricks removed by the manhole rebuild project. Assuming they are usable, and in good shape, of course.