Quarterly capital improvements report highlights stream restoration, recycling center relocations and EV-charging expansion

Loudoun County staff presented the Q2 FY2025 Capital Improvements Projects quarterly report to the Finance, Government Operations and Economic Development Committee on Jan. 14, highlighting completed milestones and projects that require follow-up or supplemental work.

Ernie Brown and other Department of General Services staff reviewed several projects: the relocation and rebuild of the Lovettsville (Northwest) Recycling Drop-Off Center — funded by the plastic bag tax — is moving forward after coordination with the town; the Sterling recycling center site plan was approved and staff expect to issue a notice to proceed with construction, targeting opening by mid-March if weather permits. Brown said both recycling projects are funded by the plastic bag tax.

Brown described the Riverbend stream and outfall restoration as the county’s first major stream restoration project. The Riverbend work restores more than 3,000 linear feet of degraded stream, and staff said it is grant-funded at roughly 50% and a $4 million project; Brown reported the project is on budget and ahead of schedule and estimated annual nutrient and sediment reductions (for example, eliminating about 200 pounds of phosphorus per year). A larger 6,500-linear-foot project in the Countryside area is in design and estimated to be about $8 million with anticipated grant funding covering approximately half the cost; design completion was projected by April 2026.

Staff also reported nine completed sites of a 32-site Phase 1 EV-charging buildout at county facilities, with a pending permit for the government center garage first-floor visitor charging; $2 million remains allocated for the remaining 22 sites. Procurement actions were in place for several Phase 1 locations with estimated starts in February 2025 and county staff anticipated completing the phase by December 2025, pending infrastructure work.

Other facility highlights included occupancy and punch-list work at the Lovettsville Fire & Rescue station No. 12, completed storage at Moorefield and Dulles South stations, under-construction work at the new fire training facility, Round Hill station progress and Union Street School selective demolition and partial addition work. Transportation projects noted progress on Northstar Boulevard, Tall Cedars and North Street intersection improvements, a roundabout at Route 50 and Trailhead, and Moorfield Boulevard improvements near the Metro garage.

Supervisors asked clarifying questions about funding sources for recycling projects (confirmed as plastic bag tax funds), estimated pollutant reductions from stream restorations, and EV-charging siting and timelines. Staff told the committee the Sterling Recycling Center construction is anticipated to take four to five weeks once a notice to proceed is issued and that other Phase 1 EV sites had purchase orders requested for early calendar-year starts.

The committee received the quarterly report for information and posed follow-up items to staff, including adding electoral district labels to slide titles for future presentations and continuing coordination with towns and other agencies on shared facilities and infrastructure.