“The worst part is over,” said Stephen Schultze of Spring Valley Builders, developers of the new house at 3503 Bradley Lane in the Village of Martin’s Additions.

When it comes to noise and increased traffic due to the comings and goings of trucks at a construction site, “the demolition is the worst part,” followed by the laying of the concrete foundation, Schultze said.

After the trusses go in, traffic and noise is fairly minimal until the final stage—paving the driveway—Schultze explained to residents and council members of the Village of Martin’s Additions at a meeting last Thursday evening.

Neighbors of 3503 Bradley Lane are worried about finding parking on their narrow street—which can only accommodate parking on one side—for the duration of the construction project, which is slated to continue for most of the rest of the year.

There’s “very little on-street parking on Bradley,” said Council Chairman Richard Krajeck. Many residents already have to walk two blocks to carry groceries from their cars to their homes, he added.

Local tempers were already high before Spring Valley Builders arrived on-site, as Patch reported last month. The property had been either vacant or inhabited by people playing loud music and not taking care of the property for about a year and a half.

But Schultze assured residents that he will do the best that he can to minimize disruption to the neighborhood during the construction process.

For example, he will be laying down gravel (at an additional expense) across the front yard of 3503 Bradley Lane so that construction trucks can park on the property as often as possible.

Council members debated on whether or not to issue a permit for a limited number of parking spaces for the builders, but decided against a set number, choosing instead to rely on the good faith of the builder, and the watchful eyes of Jean Sperling, village manager, and Alan Beal and Wayne C. Fowler (both of Mid-Atlantic Inspections), who handle building and construction matters for the village.

In other news, Pepco received a favorable mention at the council meeting, thanks to its diligent work replacing utility poles on Brookfield Road and Cummings Lane, Sperling said.

Residents are asked to send Sperling (at martinsadditions@verizon.net) photographs of utility infrastructure about which they have concerns, as Pepco relies on visual inspections to keep electric service running smoothly.