Important Update on Travel Impacts Due to Emergency Roadway Repairs in Covington   Covington, VA (July 23, 2020) - Due to the continued destabilization of Ashland Avenue, from the multi-day heavy rain events in mid-June, contractors must first begin working on a portion of Ashland Avenue. This is necessary so that they can stabilize the most critical area of failure prior to addressing the whole area. This initial effort will ensure the whole affected area is safe for work on the rest of the needed excavation and stabilization of the entire area. Work to address the most critical area on Ashland Avenue will begin 7AM Friday, July 24th. As a result, Ashland will be closed to all through traffic, expect for those requiring access to their homes. Parking on the street near the intersection will need to be vacated during this work. Work has been completed on the temporary one-lane commercial route on S. Carpenter Avenue. This lane is designed and intended for commercial and industrial traffic only. Messaging boards on this and detour routes are being placed as well. During construction workdays which are Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., flaggers will be used to move commercial and industrial traffic through the area. At night law enforcement will monitor the site for safety and work to promote the use of this temporary lane for commercial and industrial traffic only, given line of sight concerns for safety. As previously communicated, the emergency roadwork on Ashland Avenue and Carpenter Drive will be on-going for 7 to 11 weeks depending on weather conditions. Updates on the emergency roadwork sites and traffic impacts each may create will be provided as they become available. As always the City encourages residents and businesses that encounter road hazards to report them to the City’s Emergency Dispatch Center. Communication Officers are available 24/7/365 by calling (540) 965-6333 or emailing policeinfo@covington.va.us. Questions and/or concerns relating to these emergency repairs and traffic impacts can be directed to City Manager’s office by calling 540-965-6300.

* * * * *