Project Summary
Phase: Design
Status: Active
Location: North Ridge
Managing Dept.: Project Implementation
Sponsor Dept.: Transportation & Environmental Services
Project Description
The Valley Drive Storm Drain Improvement project will reduce flood risk for homes within Valley Drive, Crestwood Drive, Summit Avenue, and Dogwood Drive by improving the local drainage system and capturing floodwater before it accumulates in low-lying areas. The primary task is to relocate the current storm pipe to align with the existing Valley Drive right-of-way. A new storm pipe will be installed along Crestwood Drive to connect with the structure at the intersection with Valley Drive. New curb inlets and manholes will also be installed along Crestwood Drive and Summit Avenue to increase capacity. The City will also consider realigning storm drains where necessary.
Project Background
The City has been experiencing widespread flooding due to an increase in high-intensity rainfall events, which are attributed to climate change-induced storms. As a result, residents of Valley Drive have been facing frequent localized flooding. Several residents have reported in-home flooding because the current curb inlets are unable to capture the excess water. These frequent flooding incidents support the findings from the City of Alexandria’s Storm Sewer Capacity Analysis (CASSCA). The analysis indicates that the storm sewer networks within the project area lack adequate capacity to manage the intense storm events of recent years. This increased flooding is attributed to old infrastructure, the design criteria in place at the time of construction, and the impact from climate change.
Funding
Project Budget: $3,880,000
Funding Source: Stormwater Utility Fee
CIP Section: Stormwater Management
Learn more about the City of Alexandria's Fiscal Year Budget.
Schedule
- Design Procurement: August 2024
- Design Start: November 2024
- Construction Procurement: June 2026
- Construction Start: November 2026
- Complete By: May 2027
Progress Update
Last month, the City continued to advance design development by receiving and reviewing 90% design plans and providing comments to guide final revisions. A property boundary verification identified five properties potentially affected by the proposed design, prompting the City to direct the consultant to evaluate alternative approaches to reduce or avoid impacts. Depending on the outcome, the project may require temporary access agreements or short-term construction easements. The City also evaluated a request for a tree survey but determined it would introduce schedule delays under current timing constraints. The City is now considering how to balance environmental considerations with the project timeline. Next steps include refining the design based on comments, advancing solutions to reduce property impacts, determining the appropriate approach for securing access where needed, and addressing outstanding environmental and coordination items as the design moves toward completion.
The City of Alexandria held a project design meeting on Wednesday, October 15 at Mount Vernon Recreation Center and Zoom. View the presentation and meeting video below.
In June, the City received 30% design plans outlining the proposed stormwater pipe alignment along Crestwood Avenue, Dogwood Drive, and Valley Drive. As part of the design process, City staff reviewed the submission and provided detailed comments to the design contractor. During this review, utility conflicts were identified at several points along the proposed alignment. Coordination efforts with utility providers are scheduled to begin in late July to resolve these conflicts. In addition, a public survey was launched in April to gather community input. The City is especially interested in identifying locations that experience frequent street flooding, ponding, or stormwater-related property impacts. The survey is available online through the Valley Drive Stormwater Drainage Improvement Project Community Survey and will remain open until July 25, 2025
In December 2024, the City officially launched the design phase with the consultant. As part of this process, a topographic survey and subsurface utility exploration were completed in February 2025. Prior to the start of field work, residents received notices to raise awareness and minimize community impact. Following the data collection task, City has received a design orientation plan identifying permits required to complete the design and risk associated with design phase
With data collection and design orientation complete, the assessment of alternatives will begin. The City plans to engage with residents after the completion of both the 60 and 90 percent design phases. These meetings will provide updates on project progress, offer insight into potential impacts, and allow residents to share feedback on the proposed design.
During the planning phase, the City identified a need for new storm pipes and additional curb inlets at key locations to capture floodwater before it accumulates in low-lying areas. The City has identified a solution to address the flooding issues.
The procurement process is currently underway to select a design contractor. Once the contractor is chosen, a kickoff meeting will be held to initiate the design work. After this meeting, the project team plans to engage with residents and stakeholders for further discussions.
The Valley Drive storm drain improvement project planning phase is complete. The investigation of neighborhood flooding study is now available, and includes site evaluation, CCTV inspection, hydraulic modeling verification, solution development and cost estimations.