Through its Nursery Avenue Roadway and Drainage Improvements project, the Town of Purcellville addressed long-standing flooding, pavement deterioration, and safety issues along one of its busiest community corridors. The roadway serves residents, schools, parks, and local businesses, making its reliability and safety a daily priority. Years of drainage failures and inadequate pedestrian infrastructure had created hazardous conditions for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
ATCS supported the Town with comprehensive survey, civil engineering design, and construction support services from project initiation through the completion of the design phase, ensuring solutions were based on precise data, responsive to public input, and designed for long-term performance.
Understanding the Challenges
Nursery Avenue presented several interconnected challenges. The storm drainage system was undersized and aging, allowing water to pond in travel lanes and spill onto adjacent properties during heavy rain. Repeated patching and water infiltration weakened the pavement structure, creating safety risks. Pedestrian facilities were fragmented, with missing sidewalks and non-ADA-compliant curb ramps.
These conditions were compounded by tight rights-of-way, aging utilities, and the mix of residential driveways and side streets feeding directly into the corridor. Improving stormwater management and pedestrian safety while preserving access for residents and businesses required careful planning and coordination.
Delivering Data-Driven Survey Solutions
Accurate survey data was critical to addressing the project’s challenges. Our team measured approximately 1,240 linear feet of roadway using networked RTK GPS and robotic total stations, supplemented with high-resolution imagery from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). This comprehensive dataset accurately documented roadway topography, utility locations, and drainage structure conditions.
One of the Town’s unique challenges was its historic character. Many parcels along Nursery Avenue had never been formally surveyed, and in several locations, road dedications had not occurred, leaving portions of the corridor governed by prescriptive rights-of-way. To resolve these inconsistencies, we prepared 20 acquisition plats, which clarified and formalized the right-of-way, ensuring proper dedication and alignment throughout the corridor. This step was critical in minimizing potential conflicts with property owners and allowing improvements to move forward with confidence.
We also mapped and verified existing storm drainage infrastructure, including undocumented buried systems. By identifying and assessing these assets early, we preserved functional elements while replacing failing components, avoiding unnecessary excavation and reducing the risk of costly change orders during construction.
Designing for Safety, Resilience, and Access
Drainage failures were one of the corridor’s most pressing issues, creating both flooding risks and long-term pavement deterioration. Our design significantly increased storm drainage capacity and reliability, enabling water to be quickly moved off the roadway and reducing hazardous ponding. Flow-through inlets were added at known trouble spots, underdrains were installed to manage subsurface moisture, and curb-and-gutter improvements directed runoff into the improved system, rather than allowing it to flow onto private property.
Pedestrian access was another key priority. We reconstructed sidewalks along both sides of Nursery Avenue, upgraded curb ramps to meet ADA standards, and improved crosswalk visibility at community destinations. By integrating these features with traffic calming and grading refinements, we improved safety for all users without disrupting property access.
Listening to and Acting on Community Input
Community feedback directly shaped the design. During public information meetings, residents and business owners identified areas prone to flooding, concerns about construction impacts, and pedestrian safety needs. In response, we refined drainage inlet placement to address specific trouble spots, extended sidewalk connections for continuity, and developed phasing strategies to maintain driveway and street access during the construction phase.
Working closely with the Town, we also addressed concerns near schools and public facilities. These refinements improved pedestrian routes, supported safe travel, and reduced the likelihood of disruptions during peak activity times.
Coordinating for a Smooth Transition to Construction
For the project to move seamlessly into construction, plans needed to be complete, coordinated, and constructible. Our team delivered detailed plan sets, resolved utility conflicts, and secured required permits to keep the project aligned with regulatory standards. We also developed phasing strategies to maintain traffic flow and property access during construction, reducing the likelihood of delays once work begins.
Where possible, the design leveraged existing systems to maximize cost efficiency. Deteriorated infrastructure was replaced to ensure long-term resilience, balancing short-term constructability with the Town’s long-term maintenance and performance needs.
Lasting Impact
The Nursery Avenue improvements will provide long-term value by creating a safer, more reliable connection between neighborhoods, schools, parks, and local businesses. With upgraded infrastructure designed to handle future needs, the corridor will better serve daily traffic, support community growth, and enhance overall quality of life for residents.
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