Maryland Avenue and Gibbs Street Should be Open to Vehicles by End of May
ROCKVILLE, Md., April 20, 2007— Work on repairing the pavers on Middle Lane and Gibbs Street in Town Square has turned the corner from removal to construction. The streets should be open by the end of May.
This month, the contractor began installing the aggregate base, and, now, asphalt paving is beginning. After the asphalt, work will begin on installing concrete curbs and reinstalling the pavers, which is expected to take three to four weeks. Reinstallation includes modification to crosswalks and other key walkways to improve accessibility.
According to City Manager Scott Ullery, the weather and complexity of the project are significant factors affecting the schedule. “Everyone involved is working very hard to meet this schedule, while at the same time taking great pains to make sure the design and construction are correct,” Ullery said.
Sections of the roadway failed in March after cold and wet weather was followed by warmer weather that thawed the ground. Since the problem was discovered, the City has been taken a two-pronged approach to the problem: figuring out what caused the problem and coming up with a way to fix it correctly as soon as possible.
“The complexity of the design, the collaborative nature of the design process, the degree of care undertaken to ensure that the repair is done right, material availability, and weather all have contributed to the time it has taken to get to where we are in the repair,” said Ullery.
New stores have continued to open during the repair work, and pedestrian access to the area has been maintained. Also, new public parking spaces continue to be made available in two new parking garages, with alternate access being provided during the construction. The third and largest garage, with an entrance on MD Rte. 355, is in the final phases of construction, with its opening anticipated in the next few weeks.
Rockville Town Square is the 15-acre first phase of the revitalized Rockville Town Center. For more information about the project, visit the City of Rockville Web site at www.rockvillemd.gov/towncenter.
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