During a ribbon-cutting ceremony in South Arlington County, Virginia, officials unveiled the newly-revitalized Columbia Pike Wednesday.
But after many years of construction and approximately $200 million spent, many of the improvements can鈥檛 be seen. That鈥檚 not because they didn鈥檛 happen 鈥� it鈥檚 because they鈥檙e underground.
鈥淵ou wouldn’t notice significant work underground that is coordinating between Comcast, Verizon, Washington Gas and Dominion鈥� said Matt di Ferranti, the chair of the Arlington County Board.
He said the extensive work prepares the area for the future.
鈥淲e now have greater electrical power security because almost the whole pike is underground of the utilities, which is a significant improvement for the residents of these neighborhoods,” di Ferranti said.
The project, however, was not without it鈥檚 detractors; construction took a long time and the disruption to traffic resulted in many small businesses losing money, or closing all together.
鈥淚n some ways, I think it’s a regression in the sense that so many businesses went out of business during this time,” said Dave Bogdan, who’s lived near the pike for 48 years.
However di Ferranti said the huge investment was worth it and that the 鈥渇uture is bright, bright, bright for Columbia Pike, even if there were real costs of the last few years.鈥�
The Columbia Pike Project also involves wider sidewalks, new bus stations, bike share locations and other transit improvements between S. Oak Street in the east to S. Jefferson Street in the west.
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