Twice Delayed Gas Line Relocation Starts Tonight

OCCOQUAN, Va. — Officials hope the third time is the charm for an attempt to relocate a six-inch gas line near Occoquan.

The pipe at Occoquan and Old Bridge roads needs to be moved because it’s in conflict with a sanitary line that has been designed for a new neighborhood, the Potomac Crest condominiums and townhomes. Once the line is relocated, 76 new townhomes – some of which have already been purchased – can be delivered to their new owners.

The homes sit on a hill overlooking busy commuter route Old Bridge Road, and are nestled next to existing apartments on Dara Drive. A base model new home in this development sells for $290,000 while luxury models are priced at $300,000.

But ongoing delays to relocate the gas line has cost developer Basheer and Edgemore at least $25,000, said spokesman Mark Fields

The problematic gas line, which wasn’t originally accounted for in plans for the new neighborhood, was located May 17. Shortly thereafter, Potomac Crest developers went back to their drawing board and worked up plans to reroute their  water and sewer utility lines to avoid a conflict with the gas line. But a clash between a new sanitary line and the gas line couldn’t be avoided, and that’s when Washington Gas called in a contractor to relocate the line, said Fields.

The relocation work is scheduled to begin tonight with overnight closures of a portion of Occoquan Road occurring each night this week. It’s the third time it’s been planned, with previous unmet completion dates in August and September, said Fields.

PotomacLocal.com spoke with Washington Gas on Friday to get details about what has prolonged the work but the utility was not immediately able to provide them.

Detour signs warning drivers to tonight’s detour are posted. The closures will take place from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday night through Friday morning. Drivers will be directed to use Riverview Lane to Va. 123 to Old Bridge Road.

For Art Klos at the Virginia Department of Transportation, it’s been an ever more frustrating task to communicate to elected officials and to drivers about a detour that keeps getting pushed back.

“I regret to inform you that the night work on Occoquan Road has been postponed until next week. Hazel Construction, with the support of the Police Department, is on standby ready to proceed. Unfortunately, their work continues to be delayed due to relocation of the gas main,” stated Klos in an email to public officials.

While a portion of Occoquan Road south of Old Bridge Road carries 13,000 cars per day, the portion of the road that will be detoured carries 2,000 cars per day, said Klos.