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Waverly Farm extension inches closer to U.S. 15
Parents dropping their kids off at Gravely Elementary School or commuters driving along U.S. 15 between Sudley Road and Dominion Valley may have noticed road construction at the north end of Waverly Farm Road in Haymarket.That begs the question about whether the construction means Waverly Farm will finally be connected to James Madison Highway some time soon.
The short answer is no but the longer answer is more nuanced.
Right now, construction there is intended to complete an access road for Park Valley Church, which is due to open next March.
Congregants will eventually be able to drive north on Waverly Farm Road from Dominion Valley Drive and turn left to enter the church facility. The 1,300 parishioners of the non-denominational church currently celebrate Sunday mass at Alvey Elementary School.
Andrew Breeden, the project manager for site developer and contractor S.W. Rodgers, said the part of the road currently under construction “is not going all the way to 15 and it’s anybody’s guess to when that’s going to be constructed.”
He added, “We haven’t been given permission, I guess, to go on and complete that road.”
Residential developer Toll Brothers needs to sell a certain number of Dominion Valley homes before its proffer agreement with the county triggers the road’s ultimate completion to U.S. 15.
Toll Brothers awarded S.W. Rodgers the contract earlier this year to complete the access road to Park Valley Church as well complete the road to U.S. 15.
The access road is due to be completed first, likely before the end of the year.
Park Valley Church pastor Barry White said the church purchased the 16 acres of land along U.S. 15 from a private owner instead of Toll Brothers, which owns the land around it.
The church and developer have worked in tandem over the last few years, with each making trade-offs and helping out the other, said White.
For instance, Toll Brothers is paying for the construction of the road and the church allowed Toll Brothers to put signs up on the front of its property.
“We obviously have to have access to that property. That’s the only access that would be available, so we were able to work with Toll Brothers to have them get that road constructed to have that entrance,” said White.
However, White stressed the church really only has one more obstacle ahead of it prior to opening.
“We have had monumental challenges up to this point and, you know, it’s a very costly and stressful process, but now, I would say the biggest hurdle we have to face now is getting our occupancy (permit) from the county,” said White.
White estimated the whole project, from start to finish, will cost the church about $7 million. Costs include the connection of the church to sewer and water centers almost a full mile away.
“I have been just so amazed by the generosity of our people. Even though times have been tough financially, the people of our church have stepped up to the plate and sacrificed in amazing ways (for) this project,” said White.
He added that, “As a church, we do everything in our power to make sure we are fiscally sound. We pay all of our bills and those types of things and we want to keep a good name as far as our reputation.”
Breeden explained that constant rain during the last two months has slowed down construction on the road extension.
By working during the rain, “You end up making more mud,” he said. “You don’t get any production; you’re just spinning your wheels, figuratively and literally. So when it rains, like we had last week, you have to stay off of it for about a good day.”
As far as current progress goes, he said, “We’re starting to put curb and stone down. So, technically, we could be paved by next week.”
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