Frequently Asked Questions
Who’s Who
Who is on the THA Working Group and how was it formed?
It consists of Dave Curtis (Parkland Committee Chair), Lynn Daft (THA Board), Brandon Lucado, Ray Luckenbach, Paul Pitera, Maggie Stehman, and Vivian Watts. It was formed from Board and Parkland Committee members supplemented by Truro residents who expressed interest during or after the publicly attended June 2012 THA Board meeting.
How is this managed by Fairfax County?
Justin Pistore of the Watershed Projects Implementation Branch, in the Stormwater Planning Division of the Dept of Public Works and Environmental Services is the Project Manager. All THA interactions on the project will go through him.
What contractors are involved?
The Williamsburg Environmental Group is the design contractor. Construction contracts have not been awarded yet.
Purpose and Scope
Why does the project stop at Wakefield Drive?
The decision about the boundaries of the project was the County’s decision, not Truro’s decision. The County has told us the decision was primarily to draw a rational boundary around the scope of the project. Other factors that might have been involved include:
- There is generally less severe undercutting of the streambanks downstream of Wakefield Drive.
- There are fewer stormwater outfall tributaries in THA parkland downstream of Wakefield Drive and they are not as degraded as those upstream of Wakefield Drive.
- The stream passes back and forth from THA parkland to homeowners’ lots several times downstream of Wakefield Drive so obtaining access would be more complex.
What will happen to the trees?
Several trees along the streambanks that are currently being undercut will be removed. Some other trees must be removed for the construction equipment to access the stream. The specific access paths are being designed minimize loss of mature healthy trees by the following methods:
- The existing (asphalt) pathways will be used for primary access to the work areas.
- Short access paths cleared from the asphalt pathways to the streambed will be located to avoid as many mature healthy trees as possible.
- Protective matting will be used to protect the root structure of mature trees that are close to the access paths.
What will happen to the asphalt paths?
Asphalt paths in the areas used for access will be destroyed during construction. They will be restored at the completion of construction.
Is anything being done to lessen the quantity or velocity of stormwater influx to the stream?
Yes, but the details of this are still being developed.
Why should we expect that the stream won’t just revert to the current unstable situation with an incised streambed and undercut banks?
The current streambed was not specifically engineered when the neighborhood was developed and the stormwater drains were directed to the stream. Only in very few places, does the streambed go to bedrock. As a result, in most areas, the channel is susceptible to erosion and incision. The renovated streambed will have a solid base of large rocks prevent the problem from recurring. In certain areas the streambanks may also be armored with large rocks. (The large rocks providing this structural support will largely be covered by smaller rocks that will be visible from the surface. The “riffle and pool” design of the channel also will enhance the stability of the streambed.
Since the stream is being designed to overflow onto the floodplain during significant storms, will homeowners’ yards and houses be more likely to be flooded?
No, the community was developed so that the 100-year floodplain does not encroach onto individual lots. The design for the restored stream will maintain this constraint. That is a specific feature of the design that is carefully reviewed by the design contractor and the governmental agencies involved with granting permits for the project.
Decision Making and Transparency
Who makes the decisions?
The County decided to put this project on the schedule for 2013 and determined the scope of the project. The THA Board will decide whether to grant the County the necessary easement for the project, but intends to do so only after receiving community input. The County approves the design of the project.
What input does Truro have?
Both the design contractor and the County have expressed willingness to receive input from Truro. The working group has been set up to be the vehicle for providing that input. The working group will endeavor to represent input from the community in their interactions with the County and the design contractor. The Community Outreach page on this website discusses opportunities to communicate with the Working Group.
Are meetings public and announced?
There have been and will continue to be some meetings with the County that are announced and open to all Truro residents. Two specific meetings to explain the project to the entire Truro community have been announced and will be heavily promoted. Working meetings between the Working Group and the County to discuss details are generally not announced publicly.
Timing
What are the stages of the design process?
The design contractor is presently doing the Conceptual Design. That will be completed in December 2012 and reviewed with the Working Group. The Preliminary Design, will be done in February 2013. After that the Final Design will be done by May 2013. Truro will have input to the process after the Conceptual Design and the Preliminary Design are done and part way through the Final Design. The Final Design will also incorporate or resolve any issues raised by the permitting process.
What happens after the design is done?
The County will solicit bids for the construction contract and select a contractor by the standard contracting methods. That will likely take until about August 2013. The physical work would begin shortly after the construction contract is let and take four to six months.