The latest timeline for completing the Soapstone sewer project and reopening Albemarle Street

A crane at DC Water’s Albemarle Street work site on May 14th.

The DC Water work site at 32nd and Albemarle Street’s has gone quiet again after a few days of noisy work in mid-May. Clark Construction was drilling and pile driving to shore up and stabilize the street around a manhole that’s about to be excavated and replaced.

DC Water says Clark has completed the job. The next task – the manhole excavation – is scheduled to begin June 9th. That work should be far quieter, but it will be a round-the-clock operation as every brick of the existing manhole is removed by hand.

It’s also an important step toward completing the Soapstone sewer rehabilitation project. Beginning in March 2022, DC Water and contractors set about relining and protecting 6,200 feet of sanitary sewer lines in the Soapstone Valley between Broad Branch Road and Albemarle near Connecticut Avenue. The final segment to be relined is a 325-foot pipe that flows from Albemarle into the park.

The contractor will access the pipe from the manhole on Albemarle, which is too narrow for people and equipment, so it must be removed and enlarged before the relining work can resume. That, DC Water explained in June 2024, is a two-week process.

This manhole, which leads deep underneath Albemarle Street near 32nd Street, will be completely rebuilt. (DC Water photo)

In a May 28th emailed update, DC Water said the lining of the final segment is scheduled to begin on August 1st. And the closed section of Albemarle Street could reopen in September, which gives residents to the east of the closure a chance to throw a few more block parties.

Here’s the complete timeline from DC Water:

Greetings DC Water Community Stakeholders:

This email provides an update on the manhole replacement work at the intersection of Albemarle and 32nd Streets NW, including the projected timeline for reopening Albemarle Street NW.

We’re pleased to share the following key project milestones and the anticipated completion schedule:

• Drilling and pile installation by Clark Construction – Completed (Clark demobilized from site)
• Excavation for manhole shaft – Scheduled for June 9, 2025
• Lining material ordered from Germany for final sewer segment (Shot #10) – Estimated delivery: 4 weeks
• UV lining of final sewer segment – Scheduled for August 1, 2025
• Install manhole riser – August 15, 2025
• Install 72-inch storm drain line – August 22, 2025
• Reinstate PEPCO streetlight – August 18, 2025
• Bypass system removal – August 22, 2025
• Reinstate water line along Albemarle Street – August 26, 2025
• Final street paving – September 4, 2025
• Remove traffic control (MOT) and reopen Albemarle Street – Target date: September 11, 2025

*Schedule subject to change.

We recognize the importance of restoring Albemarle Street access—particularly with the start of the school year in August. We appreciate your continued patience and support as we work toward final project completion.