HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — A waterline replacement project will cause temporary service interruptions and extended traffic restrictions in the coming days along Court Square in Downtown Harrisonburg.

Harrisonburg Public Utilities and contractor Partners Excavating Company will work on replacing a 4-inch waterline installed in 1891 under Court Square and a small section of West Market Street. The new 12-inch line will address aging infrastructure in this area while improving service and fire flow availability.

Work will take place in two phases, with the first occurring this weekend and into Monday morning as Public Utilities installs a valve on the north side of Court Square and a section of waterline under West Market Street. This work will require all of Court Square, and West Market Street between Court Square and Liberty Street, to be closed for much of the day Saturday, April 11, and will impact water service to some customers in the area.

All impacted customers have been contacted by Public Utilities.

As work allows, a section of Court Square (between Main Street and Graham Street) is expected to open on Saturday afternoon, however, the western and southern sides of Court Square and West Market Street from Court Square to Liberty Street will remain closed throughout the weekend. Work is expected to be completed at approximately noon on Monday, April 13. Drivers should be mindful of closures in this area throughout the weekend and find an alternative route.

This work will precede the larger project that is currently expected to begin April 20 and extend an estimated six weeks. Partners Excavating Company will work to replace 450 feet of waterline around the Court Square area, in addition to other infrastructure improvements, that will require significant closure of Court Square throughout much of the project. As work progresses along the street, the southern portion of Court Square will open from West Market Street south and east to Main Street. Drivers should monitor road construction signs in this area and the City’s social media posts for updates on this closure.

Water service should not be interrupted during this second phase of work due to the valves being installed this weekend. Any changes to service will be communicated to those impacted as soon as possible.

“We appreciate our community’s patience as we do this vital work to replace aging infrastructure in our city,” Harrisonburg Public Utilities Engineer Micaela Smith said in a release. “With nearly 300 miles of waterlines and almost $1 billion in infrastructure to maintain, our team works around the clock to complete projects as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

For more information and updates, visit Welcome | City of Harrisonburg, VA.