Time finally ran short for the Mount Vernon Auto Repair in Hybla Valley and it was leveled on Oct. 10 to make way for the modernization that’s taking place along Richmond Highway in Mount Vernon.

This shop was closed and unoccupied for years, and became an eyesore to many in the surrounding area. There are newer townhouses right behind it and other service companies up and down this section of highway so an “abandoned” business is not appealing.

Construction truck tears down the walls at 8249 Richmond Highway in Mount Vernon. 

 

“Everything is going down,” said one of the workers on the asbestos removal team that watched as the crane ripped through the roofing, pulled down the old cement walls and tore through the infrastructure materials such as aluminum fittings and wires. The garage was built years ago when asbestos material was used so an asbestos removal crew completed work there in a period before the crane was brought in to do the demolition.

Throughout the destruction, a worker sprayed the area with a hose to keep the dust down. This is part of all operations like this.

Along this part of Richmond Highway, several improvements are underway as officials in Mount Vernon are preparing it for a highway widening project and the Embark Richmond Highway project that’s coming through in the future.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, the right-of-way portion of the $465 million widening project is underway now, and in 2027, construction on the actual widening project will begin. Phase 1 will widen about 1.5 miles of Richmond Highway from Jeff Todd Way to a point just north of Frye Road, and Phase 2 is widening Richmond Highway to Sherwood Hall Lane.

The Embark Richmond Highway is an initiative focused on creating a multimodal future for Richmond Highway Corridor where residents, workers, and visitors can walk, bike, or drive to the places they want to go, Fairfax County said. This effort followed recommendations from the Route 1 Multimodal Alternatives Analysis, conducted by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and includes plans for a Bus Rapid Transit line down the center of Richmond Highway. The actual timeframe for this project has not been established.

Water is sprayed constantly to keep the dust down.