Pedestrian and Parking Garage Access will be Maintained During Reconstruction
View Map of Street Closings and Parking Garage Access
ROCKVILLE, Md., March 20, 2007—The City of Rockville is moving quickly to repair the dislodged pavers in part of Maryland Avenue and Gibbs Street in the new Town Square development of Rockville Town Center. During the reconstruction period, access to the new parking garages, to the new public library, and to the new retail establishments will be maintained.
Art Chambers, Director of Community Planning and Development Services, told the Mayor and Council that the repair will entail removing all of the pavers in the street sections and reinstalling pavers on a newly designed section with a concrete base. Also, there will be a special effort made to provide smoother surfaces for crosswalks and other key walking paths.
To reduce the amount of disruption, the City will close Maryland Avenue in Town Square for about six to eight weeks beginning Wednesday, March 21. The first activity will be the removal of the pavers and the “sub grade” material beneath them. During the project, access to the new North Maryland Avenue parking garage will be from East Middle Lane. Additional parking is available in the recently opened North Washington Street garage, with access from both East Middle Lane and North Washington Street.
During the reconstruction, the City and other on-site personnel will provide additional assistance to drivers looking for parking, including additional signs and personal assistance for pedestrians and drivers.
Throughout the reconstruction, pedestrian access to the library, retail businesses and restaurants will be maintained. Three restaurants and one retail business have recently opened in the new development.
In early March, following snow and ice storms and a period of thawing warmer temperatures, City engineers identified areas of Maryland Avenue and the not-yet-opened Gibbs Street that had shifted and caused a portion of the road surface to become uneven. A portion of the public plaza also has been affected. The failure of the roadway is particularly pronounced on Maryland Avenue as a result of vehicles being driven over the 150-foot stretch of street. Both areas were designed and constructed by private firms contracted by the City.
Upon discovering the problem, the City hired independent geotechnical experts to identify the cause or causes and to conduct tests on the ground in the affected areas.
“We are extremely disappointed that this happened,” said City Manager Scott Ullery. “Our primary priority now is to get the problem fixed—quickly and correctly—and to maintain safe access to the library, commercial establishments, and parking,” said Ullery.
“While we move forward with the advice of our independent expert, we also are working with the private contractors, consultants, and suppliers who did the original work, to make sure we have a complete solution and to recoup City costs resulting from the problem,” Ullery added. “We expect all parties to be part of the solution, and we are grateful for the initial assistance we have already received from our investment partner, Federal Realty Investment Trust,” said Ullery
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’s Web site at www.rockvillemd.gov.
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