York County public works outlines summer paving, CSX crossing repairs and six-year secondary plan

York County’s public works staff presented a quarter report and a multi-month plan for pavement repairs, drainage work and traffic projects at the May 20 Board of Supervisors meeting, describing short-term maintenance and longer-term projects in cooperation with VDOT and CSX.

Ross (York County Department of Public Works) told the board the county closed 76.5% of customer-generated work requests during the February–April quarter and described ditching, pipe repairs and pavement maintenance since winter. Staff reported targeted thermoplastic handwork (stop bars, crosswalk markings) and restriping projects on routes including 199, 17, 173 and several neighborhood streets; spot repairs used internal pipe bands to re-seal separated joints in storm lines.

Ross said the county is partnering with CSX to replace two railroad crossings—Old York Hampton Road and Wolf Trap Road—in June, with June 24 and June 25 tentatively scheduled and June 26 held as a rain date. He said CSX will bring track replacement contractors while the county will perform traffic control and detours. The board requested that the county issue a press release with detour routing once dates and specifics are finalized.

On paving and resurfacing, public works described a 14-month contractor schedule for pavement projects and said work in the Yorktown area will pause over the summer: "What they cannot get complete by Friday before Memorial Day, the contractor will have to come back after Labor Day," Ross said. The county also plans a latex overlay on portions of Dare Road to extend the life of asphalt ahead of other contractor-led paving.

Ross reviewed VDOT-administered and smart-scale projects on the county list, including Route 171 right-turn lane extension and several bridge and capacity projects. He described the county’s pavement-condition assessment process (condition index threshold of 60 to mark deficient pavement) and explained how preventive, restorative and reconstructive treatments are targeted across interstate, primary and secondary systems to meet annual funding targets.

Board members raised local concerns: Supervisor Shepherd and others described heavy traffic and queuing problems during milling and paving at the Victory Boulevard/Route 17 intersection and urged the county to seek night work for disruptive operations where possible. Ross explained milling and paving sequences and said the paving train usually returns within 48 hours to repave milled areas, but weather and logistics sometimes delay completion.

Supervisors asked about tree clearing for median work along I‑64 and were told federal or state environmental timing (protection for bat species) restricts tree cutting after April 1; projects often cut trees before that date and then remove stumps or resume grubbing when the next construction phase occurs. The board also discussed planned guardrail repairs, ADA ramp replacements and intersection safety improvements the county recommended after traffic studies.

Ross said the county’s FY2026–FY2031 six-year secondary road program budget is smaller than in past years and will be used conservatively; board members asked for an explanation of the reduced allocation. Ross and staff said funding sources and statewide allocations have changed and that some previously rolled-over secondary funds were used to cover shortfalls on other local projects.

The presentation concluded with staff invitations to attend a public information meeting for the Route 171 capacity enhancements and a reminder that the county will publish schedules and detour information for the CSX crossings when final dates are set.