Hurricane Helene Virginia Creeper Trail Supplemental Debris Removal (Phase II)
AGENCY: USDA Forest Service
LOCATION: Damascus, Virginia
SIZE: $2,166,581
PRIME: AACON General Contractors
AWARD DATE: July 2025
COMPLETED: October 2025
Washington and Grayson Counties, Virginia, following Hurricane Helene. The storm left extensive damage across the 34-mile recreation corridor, including more than 20,000 cubic yards of debris, creosote timbers, and special waste materials in environmentally sensitive trail and riparian areas.
AACON coordinated with the USDA Forest Service and project stakeholders to remove debris safely, restore damaged trail sections, and protect surrounding waterways and habitat. The work included use of a government-furnished temporary bridge to access isolated areas, construction of bridge abutments and approaches, hazardous material segregation, off-site disposal at approved facilities, erosion control installation, and seeding and strawing across approximately nine acres using native seed mixes.
During performance, AACON removed more than 28,000 cubic yards of debris and restored storm-damaged trail and access areas under a 60-day period of performance. Work was completed with no safety incidents and supported reopening the trail for public use.
Success Story- AACON completed the project on schedule within 60 calendar days while managing challenging access conditions, sensitive environmental requirements, and increased debris quantities. The team safely removed more than 28,000 cubic yards of debris, supported restoration of a highly visible public recreation corridor, and maintained a zero-incident safety record throughout performance. AACON’s quality, coordination, and environmental stewardship were recognized in an Exceptional CPAR and contributed to successful trail recovery for the USDA Forest Service.
