STAUNTON, VA (Rocktown Now) – UPDATE: The City of Staunton has contracted with engineers to perform a tunnel survey and structural evaluation, exploring the conditions where Gum Spring Branch (often referred to as Peyton Creek) and Lewis Creek run underground, as part of the city’s ongoing flood mitigation and infrastructure preventative maintenance efforts. These efforts began after the devastating floods in 2020. In 2022, City Council allocated a portion of ARPA funds to fund this study.The structural evaluation is not yet complete. However, at this stage engineers are concerned with the structural integrity of the tunnel in several specific areas, primarily around the Wharf.

At their recommendation and out of an abundance of caution, the city has decided to limit traffic above those sections of the tunnel until further evaluation.

Public areas of concern that we are aware of are localized and have been cordoned off. The majority of the Wharf area is not impacted, and its load bearing capacity is not a concern.

One of the sections of concern is under the entrance to the Wharf Parking Lot from Johnson Street. Public Works is in the process of creating a new entrance into the western half of the Wharf Parking Lot from Byers Street, which should open later Friday. More information will be shared when access is open.

What is closed right now: 

  • All of Byers Street is closed, from Lewis to Johnson Street.
  • The entire Wharf Parking Lot is closed.
  • Eastbound traffic on Johnson Street will undergo a lane shift into the center lane in front of the Johnson Street Garage.

Updates will be provided Friday afternoon outlining what has reopened and what will remain closed.

Byers Street and the Wharf Parking Lot in Staunton have been closed since early this morning, March 7.

In a statement released last evening, Staunton city officials described the closures as a “precautionary measure to protect safety” while performing “emergency infrastructure repairs.”
Staunton Communications Manager Josh Knight says another task on the list is the creation of a new access point to the Wharf parking lot, and that might take a while.
“It’s not going to be back to normal by the end of the day, but the hope is, that by the end of the day we’ll have a portion of the Wharf parking lot back open, specifically that western half.”
Knight adds parking in the New Street and Johnson Street Garages will be free until work is complete.
We will provide updates as they become available.