City Completes Randol Mill Park Erosion Repair and Drainage Improvement Project to Protect 65 Homes from Flood Risk

By Susan Schrock, Office of Communications

Posted on January 11, 2024, January 11, 2024

The City of Arlington has completed a three-year, $9.5 million drainage improvement project to reduce the risk of flooding for 65 homes as well as repair creek bank erosion threatening Randol Mill Park and nearby Oakwood Lane.

The three-phase Matthews Court Drainage Improvements Project was designed to improve neighborhood drainage, repair creek erosion and prevent further damage in the park, and make necessary drainage infrastructure improvements to prevent flooding upstream. This project, which aligns with the Arlington City Council priority to Champion Great Neighborhoods, was part of the $16.8 million 2019 Capital Improvements Program for Stormwater. Improvements were funded through the Stormwater Utility Fund, Street Maintenance Fund, and water and sanitary sewer bonds.

Since 2009, Arlington has invested more than $159 million on the Stormwater Capital Improvements Program, which includes flood mitigation, protection of City infrastructure from erosion, voluntary flood buyouts, the purchase of technology assets, and maintenance of stormwater infrastructure.

The Matthews Court Drainage Improvement project area was roughly bordered by West Randol Mill Road to the north, Fielder Road to the east, Sanford Street to the south and Oakwood Lane to the west. At least 35 homes in this area had previously suffered flooding because of inadequate drainage infrastructure, according to City records, and at least 27 of those flooded as recently as 2018.

Phase 1 included downstream erosion protection in the creek outfall at Randol Mill Park, widening of the culvert under Randol Mill Road, adding inlet capacity on Randol Mill Road, renewing water and sanitary sewer mains on Randol Mill Road between Oakwood Lane and Village Green Court, and repaving that section of Randol Mill Road. Left unchecked, the erosion could have undermined Oakwood Lane, bordering Randol Mill Park.

 Phase 2 neighborhood storm drain improvements such as inlets and pipes, renewing water and sanitary sewer mains, replacing the existing concrete drainage channel with a larger modular block channel, replacing two bridges over the drainage channel, and repaving the affected roadways.

 Phase 3 included storm drain improvements, water and sanitary sewer renewals, replacement of the traffic signal at the intersection of Fielder Road and Sanford Street, and repaving Fielder Road between Division Street and Randol Mill Road.

 Click here to read more about the City’s Comprehensive Stormwater Plan.