VDOT reports surge in pothole repairs, outlines bridge pours and daytime closures on Route 134

Brian Jones, a Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) representative, told the York County Board of Supervisors on April 7 that VDOT’s Williamsburg residency logged 420 service requests from Jan. 1 through March 31 and completed 352 of them — an 83.8% completion rate. “Through our call center, we received 420 service requests, completing 352 of those for 83.8% completion rate,” Jones said.

Jones said winter weather drove a large influx of pothole repairs in the reporting period: 47 repairs in January, 213 in February and 288 in March — 548 total across York and James City counties. He said area‑headquarters teams generated 80 additional work orders during the quarter, with 77 completed, and that the combined total for the period was 500 work orders with 429 completed (85.8% completion).

The update also listed recent maintenance and planned work across the county, including a trench drain installation on Church Street to capture runoff onto private property; tree removal and trimming on Hampton Highway, Route 132 and Lakeshead Drive; neighborhood‑wide pothole patching in Skimino Estates; and curb and gutter replacement on Corvette Drive. Jones said the first contracted mowing cycle is scheduled to begin the first week of May.

On bridge work, Jones reported progress on the Route 134 bridge over Route 17: “The jacking and blocking have been put in place,” he said, and contractors are installing stay‑in‑place deck pans and working on substructure repairs. He told the board that three deck pours of about 70 cubic yards each are planned for the last week of April. “It is going to require the bridge to be closed in both directions … from 7:00 to 5:00. There will be a detour in place,” Jones said, adding that the detour will route traffic 17 → Victory → 134.

Board members pressed for clearer completion dates and noted public frustration with long bridge projects. Jones said some schedule entries include buffers and that he would check older project notes for the completion targets supervisors cited.

Jones also described traffic engineering work: a left‑turn signal phasing review for Route 17 at Martin Farm (not recommended for FY funding), pavement markings and right‑turn signage installed at Upper Shirey Way to prevent drivers from overshooting the turn lane, and installation of a person‑with‑disability sign. He said speed and stop‑control reviews (including a study approaching Fort Eustis Boulevard and a three‑way stop evaluation at Heavens Way/Polaris Drive) are queued and that he would provide approximate timelines when resources allow.

The VDOT representative closed by reminding the board that National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 20–24, urging drivers to use extra caution in highway work zones as construction season accelerates.

What’s next: Jones said he would follow up with staff on timing details for paving UPCs and noted that some bridge test results (lead/asbestos) were pending in project records.