Dominion Virginia Power Project to Impact Route 7 Commutes This Summer

Loudoun County Motorists Should Expect 15 Minute Stops Between 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Construction of Dominion Virginia Power’s 12-mile, high-voltage power line between Hamilton and Leesburg in Loudoun County will require periodic traffic stops of up to 15 minutes on Route 7 from mid-May through September, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

Dominion Virginia Power is building the line from a new substation northwest of Hamilton, near the intersection of Berlin Turnpike and Route 7, to a substation off Cochran Mill Road east of Leesburg. The work will require crews to string electric lines along about nine miles of VDOT roads, crossing them a total of 15 times.

All lanes of traffic in both directions will be stopped for up to 15 minutes when wires are pulled across roadways. These traffic stops will be permitted only on:

Mondays from noon to 3:30 p.m.
Tuesdays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon.

“We are keenly aware of how these stoppages will create backups,” said Howard Massey, VDOT Permits Inspector for Loudoun County. “Therefore we are limiting the hours of operation on weekdays and will not allow any road closures during rush hours, at night, on weekends or holidays.”

Expect Summer Delays
While the schedule for traffic stops is not complete, motorists can expect delays throughout the summer at these times and locations:

May 17- June 4: expect periodic traffic stops on Route 7 near the interchange at Hamilton Station Road in Hamilton
June: expect periodic stops on Route 7 near the interchange of Route 9
July: expect periodic stops on the Route 7 Bypass between Dry Mill Road and Route 15
August-September: motorists will experience the most delays in this timeframe as workers string lines along Route 7 and the Bypass between Route 15 and River Creek Parkway.

Route 7 carries about 38,000 vehicles a day near Hamilton and 72,000 vehicles a day through Leesburg.

Dry Mill Road Detour Begins May 10

Dry Mill Road, from Route 9 to Woodburn Road, will be closed to thru-traffic for about five days beginning on or about May 10 while crews bury a transmission line under the road. A six-mile detour will be in place while crews mill the road, dig a trench, install conduits, backfill trenches and repave the affected area. Dominion will provide each resident along Dry Mill Road with specific details on the closure and its impacts. Traffic volumes on Dry Mill Road range from 3,400 to 4,500 vehicles per day.

About the Project

In February, 2008, the Virginia State Corporation Commission approved Dominion’s application to build the line and issued an order to build approximately nine miles of the line overhead along Route 7 and two miles of the line underground along the W&OD Trail. Near the intersection of Dry Mill Road and the W&OD Trail at Clarks Gap, the underground line will cross Dry Mill Road to a transition station where the line will continue overhead along the north side of Route 7. The work will be done under a permit by VDOT.

Keeping Motorists Informed

Dominion and VDOT report they will both keep the public informed about upcoming work at least one week in advance. A complete, estimated schedule will be available on Dominion’s website, www.dom.com, and VDOT’s website, www.virginiadot.org, as new information is available. For more information on Dominion’s project visit www.dom.com and enter “Pleasant View” in the search bar.