Great Falls Citizens Association is particularly concerned about damage to the Georgetown Pike roadbed caused by work being performed between Stephanie Circle and Ellsworth Avenue, given that Georgetown Pike  is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Disturbance of the roadbed has the potential for harming this historic resource. A stop work order was issued to Washington Gas when it was learned that it’s contractors did not have an approved Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Land Use permit for the project.

VDOT has committed to reviewing the engineering and design plans for the undertaking before resuming any work. This process includes having its archaeologist assess the road, develop requirements for addressing the damage that occurred, and set out procedures for future utility installations for review by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) in Richmond.

On Monday, June 6, seven borings were done in advance of the joint field inspection of the site by representatives from VDOT, Washington Gas and others.  GFCA, because of safety considerations and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, was not permitted to participate in the field inspection. However, following his inspection, GFCA held a meeting with VDOT’s archaeologist to discuss his preliminary findings and ideas for mitigation.

After this meeting, GFCA sent a letter to the archaeologist to confirm its understanding that he, as well as DHR and other VDOT staff who would be reviewing his report, understood and appreciated a number of factors:

• that the Pike ‘s historic significance is based on its status as a carefully engineered and intentionally constructed thoroughfare that remains in its original alignment on the original roadbed, 
• that the construction method used along various portions of the roadway varied, depending upon the conditions of where it was located and the funding that was available at the time of construction, and 
• that what was observed in the boring pits during the field inspection is as historically significant as other locations on the Pike where the engineering is more complex.

VDOT’s archaeological report, received on June 14, acknowledged the historical significance of Georgetown Pike and its importance to the community. It also stipulated four requirements:

1. Washington Gas Company relocate the utility line to the location that was noted on the plans submitted with their Land Use Permit, off of the existing Georgetown Pike roadway.
2. The abandoned trench will be restored utilizing VDOT’s open cut pavement restoration requirements to ensure that no additional damage occurs to the roadway, however replacing the same soil that was originally excavated from the trench is not possible.
3. Any future utility installation that is proposed to be installed within the existing Georgetown Pike be installed utilizing directional boring (at a depth of 48-inches below ground surface) to avoid potentially important road foundation deposits (if present).
4. For future permitted projects that will directly impact the Georgetown Pike roadway and requiring a Land Use Permit from VDOT, the agency (or the permittee) will, as a courtesy, provide a notification GFCA within 72-hours of the planned beginning of the project.

While concurring with the first three requirements, GFCA advised VDOT that the fourth requirement was problematic, as it was deemed that a longer notice needs to be given in advance of any project which may impact the historic Georgetown Pike. VDOT’s response to GFCA’s letter on the issue, as well as a date for repairing the roadbed, are pending.