[Archived] City of Alexandria Recognizes National Public Works Week 2017 with Open House Celebration

City of Alexandria Recognizes National Public Works Week with Open House Celebration

For Immediate Release: May 15, 2017

Join the City of Alexandria in recognizing the contributions of public works professionals in our community. The City’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES) will kick off National Public Works Week (May 21-27) by hosting its inaugural “We are T&ES” Open House on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 2900 Business Center Dr. This free event will take place rain or shine.

The Open House will provide an up-close, hands-on look at the work of the Department, which oversees City refuse collection, street cleaning, sewer maintenance, recycling, water quality, traffic engineering, and transit services, among other responsibilities. This free, family-friendly event will allow residents to learn about vital City services and meet the staff responsible for keeping Alexandria mobile, clean, safe and eco-friendly. In keeping with the goals of the Eco-City Alexandria initiative,  this event will promote environmental education and a green and sustainable future.

Activities will include:

Touch-a-truck – Climb inside city trucks and learn what it’s like to drive them safely around Alexandria from the people who operate them on a daily basis
Recyclable Relay – Teams will race to put replicas of everyday household items into the correct disposal bins
Confined Space Demonstration – A confined space is an area that is not designed for human occupancy, such as a utility hole. Crews will demonstrate how authorized personnel enter a confined space, each person’s duties on a job site, and the safety techniques used to mitigate the dangers of the job.
Mock Traffic Corner – A replica of a street corner—complete with a miniature working stoplight—will be used to highlight the importance of pedestrian safety and help teach children to be aware, alert, and attentive when crossing the street
Informational Tables – Representatives from GO Alex, DASH, Capital Bikeshare, Vision Zero, and Eco-City Clean Waterways will be on hand to talk about their programs and initiatives.

The theme of this year’s National Public Works Week is “Public Works Connects Us,” which acknowledges the importance of streets and roads, transportation systems, sanitation services, and clean water in allowing each resident and business to grow and prosper.

For more information about the Open House, visit www.alexandriava.gov/TES.

For media inquiries, contact Andrea J. Blackford, Senior Communications Officer, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.

The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended. To request a reasonable accommodation, e-mail geralyn.taylor@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.4084, Virginia Relay 711.