Underground tunnels carrying Lewis Creek and Gum Spring Branch (also called Peyton Creek) beneath parts of downtown and the Wharf area require immediate structural repairs. These tunnels, located under Byers Street, West Johnson Street, New Street, and the Wharf Parking Lot were found to have safety concerns during structural evaluation. 

Out of an abundance of caution, the city restricted traffic and parking over these tunnel sections in March 2025. Now, comprehensive repairs are planned to restore full functionality to these important downtown streets while ensuring public safety. 

• Early Jan 2026: Finalizing construction contract
• Jan/Feb 2026: Contractor begins planning, permitting, and coordination
• Late Winter2026: Construction expected to begin

Why These Repairs Are Necessary

The need for tunnel maintenance became clear following the devastating floods in August 2020 that impacted downtown Staunton, particularly the Wharf area. The city commissioned flood mitigation studies that recommended focusing on tunnel maintenance and improvements as the most practical approach to increasing flood resilience.

When structural evaluation of the tunnels began in 2025 as part of this maintenance initiative, engineers discovered areas where the tunnels could no longer safely support heavy loads. These findings led to immediate traffic restrictions and launched the current repair project.

While these repairs originated from flood mitigation efforts, the immediate priority is ensuring the structural integrity of infrastructure that supports our downtown streets.

Repair goals include:

• Public safety first
• Minimizing disruption to the Wharf area as much as possible
• Being cost effective
• Provide long-term solutions
• Restore full downtown street functionality

The Repair Plan

Three priority locations under roadways:

• Tunnel beneath Byers Street (Phase 1)
• Tunnel beneath West Johnson Street (Phase 2)
• Tunnel beneath New Street (Phase 3)

The engineering challenge: This is a complex project requiring a "top-down" approach, working through the road surface to access the tunnels below. The work involves:

• Coordinating relocation of gas, water, sewer, and electric utilities
• Replacing tunnel walls and roofs with reinforced concrete
• Obtaining environmental permits for work near waterways
• Maintaining pedestrian access to Wharf businesses throughout construction

Project Timeline

Fall / Early Winter 2025

• Engineering design completion
• Project goes out to bid in early/mid October
• City Under Contract by end of 2025
• Contractor begins administrative and planning work (permits, scheduling, site assessments, material coordination)

• No visible construction activity is expected during this phase.

Phase 1: Late Winter -> Summer 2026

• Byers Street Tunnel Repairs
• Eastern portion of Wharf parking lot closed for construction staging
• Some on-street parking restrictions 

Phase 2: Summer 2026 -> Spring 2027

• West Johnson Street Tunnel Repairs
• Byers Street reopened to serve as part of detour
• Portions of the Wharf Parking Lot closed

Phase 3: Completed by Late Spring 2027

• New Street tunnel repairs
• RMA Parking Lot impacts

Why Repairs are Focused on Roadways

While the structural evaluation identified concerns in creek tunnel sections beneath the Wharf Parking Lot, the current repair project is focused specifically on tunnel sections located under active roadways.

• Maintaining Essential Traffic Flow:
  The tunnels beneath Byers Street, West Johnson Street, and New Street support critical downtown traffic routes. Repairing these sections allows key roadways to be safely reopened and relied upon for daily travel, restoring normal downtown traffic patterns.
• Planning for Future Parking Lot Improvements:
  Any future work beneath the Wharf Parking Lot (including alternatives such as daylighting) will be evaluated and planned separately through a long-term process with extensive public engagement. The parking lot tunnels are currently being evaluated as part of a daylighting feasibility study, which explores the potential removal of tunnel roofs to restore the creek as an open-air feature.

By focusing repairs on roadway tunnel sections that must remain covered regardless of future decisions, the city avoids investing taxpayer funds in parking lot tunnel roofs that could be removed as part of a future project.

What to Expect During Construction

Parking Changes: Each construction phase will reduce available parking. The city will work to keep as much parking open as possible and help identify alternative options. The city will communicate available options and changes clearly before each phase begins. 

Traffic Detours: Detailed detour plans will accommodate all directions of travel and ensure access to parking near closure areas. The city will coordinate with BRITE transit, first responders, and mapping applications like Google Maps and Waze to keep route information current. 

Business Access: Local businesses will remain open throughout all construction phases. Pedestrian access will be maintained, and clear signage will direct visitors to open businesses and available parking.

Wayfinding and Signage: Comprehensive signage will guide both vehicle and pedestrian traffic, clearly marking detour routes, parking locations and business access points.

Ongoing Placemaking:  The Wharf's transformation into an inviting gathering space will continue during construction. The area will remain accessible to pedestrians visiting businesses and community events. 

Looking Ahead: Long-term Creek Considerations

These tunnel repairs are separate from any future consideration of "daylighting" the creeks, opening the tunnels and exposing them to the surface. The city has allocated funding to study the feasibility of daylighting portions of the Wharf area, which would involve looking at different engineering approaches and costs. 

The current repairs focus on immediate structural safety needs and restoring full street functionality. Any future creek daylighting decisions would be made separately and would include extensive community input.