Overnight multiple lane closures may be expected as crews start the demolition of the north side of the Georgetown Pike Bridge over Interstate 495 in Virginia. Here’s what you need to know.
It could start as early as Wednesday night, the Virginia Department of Transportation said.
“To keep workers and motorists safe during the demolition, overnight triple- and double-lane closures on I-495 (Capital Beltway) and periodic stoppages of I-495 lanes for up to 30-minute intervals will be necessary,” VDOT said in a news release.
Virginia State Police will be on site to help with the closures, which may also occur on Georgetown Pike approaching and over the bridge.
During the closure on the left side of southbound I-495, motorists coming from the George Washington Parkway heading for southbound I-495 will follow a minor detour. Instead of accessing the Capital Beltway from the left lane of the exit ramp, drivers will be directed to stay right and take the ramp up to Georgetown Pike. Then, they will proceed straight through the traffic light, and take the ramp back down where traffic will then be able to merge onto the Capital Beltway.
The work is expected to take approximately three weeks and generally take place Sunday nights through Friday nights from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m., and Saturday nights from 9:30 p.m. to 7 a.m., if needed. All work is dependent on weather conditions and other factors, VDOT said.
The work will be noisy, with specialized equipment used to demolish the bridge, including excavators fitted with hammers, saws and hydraulic jaws.
“While every effort will be made to control noise, certain demolition activities are unavoidably noisy and must be performed during nighttime hours when Beltway traffic below the bridge is lightest and necessary lane closures can occur,” VDOT said.
The demolition is part of the 495 NEXT project to extend the 495 Express Lanes from the Dulles Corridor interchange to the George Washington Parkway interchange. The project will also widen the bridge to six lanes and include a new 6-foot-wide sidewalk.
The bridge’s south side demolition (facing Tysons) is planned for spring 2024.
WTOP’s Kyle Cooper contributed to this report.