ABOVE: The Loudoun County Adult Detention Center in Leesburg, VA. Photo: Loudoun.gov
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors’ Finance Committee has recommended implementing Project Labor Agreement (PLA) pilots for two major infrastructure projects: The widening of Route 15 and the expansion of the Adult Detention Center (ADC) in Leesburg.
The committee made the recommendation at a May 12 board meeting. It followed the board’s decision to explore PLAs as a mechanism for managing large-scale construction projects through pre-hire collective bargaining agreements.
Under Virginia state code, a PLA establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific public works project. These agreements are designed to include:
- Labor-related protections, such as dispute resolution processes and prohibitions on strikes.
- Criteria that ensure worker safety and provide opportunities for students enrolled in registered apprenticeship training programs.
- Measures that help prevent wage theft.
“When public dollars fund public projects, those projects should create opportunities for local workers and deliver the highest level of craftsmanship.”
– Michael Conner, Sr. Council Representative
Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
“When public dollars fund public projects, those projects should create opportunities for local workers and deliver the highest level of craftsmanship.”
– Michael Conner, Sr. Council Representative
Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
“When public dollars fund public projects, those projects should create opportunities for local workers and deliver the highest level of craftsmanship,” said Michael Conner, Senior Council Representative for the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, “This PLA helps ensure a safe, productive jobsite, supports registered apprenticeship training, and keeps construction dollars circulating in the local economy while delivering a quality project taxpayers can be proud of.”
The Route 15 project, with an estimated cost of $86 million, focuses on widening the corridor to a four-lane divided roadway between Battlefield Parkway and Montresor Road. Because this specific project does not include state or federal funding, the county has greater flexibility in structuring and implementing the pilot PLA without additional external review requirements.
The Adult Detention Center expansion is a $38 million project that includes a 40,000-square-foot addition and a partial remodeling of the existing facility. The expansion will feature four new housing units designed for mental health and re-entry programming, an enlarged kitchen, and expanded administrative office space. Construction for this facility is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2028.