The Downtown Tunnel Repairs project in Staunton will continue this week with work to set begin on the New Street tunnel sections.
The City of Staunton reported in a press release that went out on Friday that favorable spring weather has allowed the city and its contractor to accelerate this work and mitigate the risk of winter delays.
This early start means work on New Street will run concurrently with the final stages of the Byers Street repairs, the city reported in the release.
Staunton City Council received an update on the project during its work session on Thursday.
The presentation slides and video are linked here.
“Virginia Infrastructure has been a great partner to work with on this complex project,” City Engineer Lyle Hartt said. “Because of their efficiency and steady progress, advancing to the New Street repairs is the most logical next step. It puts us in a much stronger position to finish the project on schedule next spring, while ensuring downtown businesses remain accessible.”
For the latest project timelines, parking diagrams, and answers to frequently asked questions, visit www.staunton.va.us/tunnelrepairs.
New Street repairs
- Traffic: South New Street will remain open to vehicular traffic, but the travel lane will shift to the right side of the street.
- Parking impacts: To safely accommodate the traffic shift and contractor equipment, 11 on-street parking spaces on South New Street will be temporarily unavailable. Additionally, up to 20 spaces in the western portion of the RMA lot will be fenced off for a staging area.
- Weekend parking note: Cones and “No Parking” signs are currently posted in these affected areas to alert drivers of the restrictions starting Monday morning. However, parking in these spaces over the weekend is permitted.
Visitors are encouraged to utilize the nearby New Street Parking Garage, which remains open and fully accessible.
Byers Street repairs
Crews have successfully removed the compromised tunnel structure under Byers Street and completed the new concrete foundations and stem walls.
The site will see a temporary slowdown in activity while the city awaits the delivery of the prefabricated upper tunnel sections in mid-July.
Once those sections are installed, Byers Street is expected to reopen to traffic in August.
Upon reopening, it will operate as a one-way eastbound route to serve as the primary detour for non-truck traffic during the upcoming Johnson Street work.
Johnson Street repairs
Full excavation for the Johnson Street repairs will not begin until after Byers Street reopens in August.
The public will see some preliminary prep work in the coming weeks. Four trees along the west side of The Wharf on Johnson Street will be removed to allow for the relocation of overhead utility lines.
Nine parking spaces in the western section of The Wharf will be blocked off only on the specific days the trees are being removed.
When the Johnson Street work officially begins in August, the road will be closed to westbound traffic at Augusta Street and to eastbound traffic at the entrance to the Johnson Street Parking Garage.
Pedestrian access to The Wharf will be securely maintained on both sides of the closure from Central Avenue and the garage entrance.
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Chris Graham
