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Traffic Switch Over on Segment C

Starting on Monday, August 11, traffic patterns on Columbia Pike between South Courthouse Road and South Scott Street will reverse as crews begin sidewalk reconstruction on the north side of Columbia Pike.

This pattern will be in place for about three months. 

• The middle lanes will open for traffic in both directions

• The outside lanes will close in both directions

• The westbound bus stop at South Scott Street and at South Rolfe Street will close; please use South Veitch Street

• The south side sidewalks and driveways will remain open
• North side sidewalk will close for reconstruction; crosswalks will remain open

At this time, crews are installing base and intermediate paving on the center lanes of Columbia Pike between South Courthouse Road and South Scott Street, to be level with the outside lanes in the same area.

On the week of August 11, crews will begin reconstruction of the north sidewalk between South Courthouse Road and South Scott Street. Crosswalks will remain open to access the south sidewalk. 

Learn more about the project on the Segment C page.

Crews are working on base and intermeddiate paving in the center lanes of Columbia Pike, and will shift traffic starting on August 11.

From the Mailbag: Why is this taking so long?

Freshly poured concrete bus pad in front of the eastbound South Barton Street bus stop (relocated to in front of Celtic House during construction). Concrete bus pads provide a durable place for buses to make frequent stops as passengers board and disembark.

Question: It feels like the Pike has been under construction forever. Why is it taking so long?

Answer: The County started reconstructing the final 2.6-ish miles of roadway in 2022. This work involved installing new utilities underground, switching to new infrastructure, and removing old equipment, before moving on to current activities on the street surface.

Current work includes reconstructing the roadway, sidewalks, and bus stops and installing new street lights and signals before moving on to final paving. 

To accomplish this work as quickly as possible, the County opted to work on the last four segments in an overlapping timeline to reach substantial completion of the entire Pike by end of 2025.

• Construction began on Segments F and A in 2022, and reached substantial completion in early 2025.
• Construction began on Segments C and D in late 2023, and are planned to be substantially completed in late 2025.

Follow-up Question: What does substantial completion even mean?

Substantial completion means the main bulk of the labor is done, and the road is in its final and open condition for the people who use it. 

There may still be outstanding items like coordinating with utility companies to remove old poles, scheduling plantings, and other small items to be finished in early 2026. But this would not significantly impact the travelability of Columbia Pike.