Here
is the most up to date information on the Washington Blvd. Bridge.
Completion
is not scheduled until 2015.
Under
Construction
*Route
27/244 Interchange**Washington Boulevard Bridge over Columbia Pike
in
Arlington*
<http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.866074,-77.073493&spn=0.017309,0.025749&z=14&key=ABQIAAAAQvFW3UA-U3PNLVcwNoGWeRSTXNa_cejiEo0pIGLVjY9NAvfhCRTMJXywwI2Q-Qpbjlz9iMyUwt3iEg&sensor=false&mapclient=jsapi&oi=map_misc&ct=api_logo>
Project
Photos
[image:
Existing Washington Boulevard bridge. Click to view full-size photo]
<http://www.virginiadot.org/VDOT/Projects/Northern_Virginia/asset_upload_file802_55592.jpg>
Project
at a Glance
*Begin
Date *
Construction
in Spring 2012
*Est
Completion Date *
Summer
2015
*Cost
*
$51.5
million
*Contractor
*
Shirley
Contracting Company, LLC
*Locality
*
Arlington
*District
*
Northern
Virginia
*Contact*
Jeff
Austin
<jaustin@shirleycontracting.com>Design-Build
Project Manager
703-668-0288
ext. 25
Christiana
Briganti-Dunn <christiana.briganti@vdot.virginia.gov>
703-259-2960
About
the Project
This
design-build
<http://www.virginiadot.org/business/design-build.asp>
project
replaces
the Washington Boulevard bridge over Columbia Pike in Arlington.
The
new bridge will be wider, longer and a great deal more attractive than
today’s
structure. A light well will separate westbound and eastbound
lanes,
and an acceleration/deceleration lane will be added westbound
between
ramps to assist weaving.
The
new bridge will accommodate Columbia Pike widening. Clearance under the
bridge
will be increased to 16'-8” to accommodate a future area streetcar.
Columbia
Pike will have 11-foot travel lanes, a left-turn lane, and raised
median.
Several
ramps will also be reconfigured to improve access, traffic flow and
increase
capacity.
The
existing box culvert that conveys Long Branch through the center of the
interchange
will be replaced with a double-cell box culvert and extended to
reduce
erosion at the downstream end.
A
10-foot shared-use path on one side and a 7- to 8-foot sidewalk on the
other
side of Columbia Pike will run through the project area. The design
provides
enhanced safety, mobility and aesthetics for all interchange
users—pedestrians,
bicyclists, and motorists.
Aesthetic
Features
A
community working group of citizens, Arlington County and VDOT staff
developed
concepts for the bridge's architectural and aesthetic treatments,
including:
*•
*Decorative pylons in each corner
*•*
Haunched steel fascia girders with a two-tone paint scheme to mimic the
existing
arch
*•
*A relief pattern incorporated into the vertical outer surfaces of the
bridge
parapet to create shadows and visual interest.
*•
*A concrete block pattern on retaining and abutment walls similar to
Pentagon
architecture
*•
*Recessed, arched panels on the abutment walls
*•
*Medallions with images reflecting the historical significance of
the
Freedmen’s
Village, for which the bridge will be named
*•
*Color and anti-graffiti application to concrete surfaces
Traffic
Impacts
During
the project, drivers can expect single lane closures daily on
Washington
Boulevard in both directions from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Drivers
can
also expect periodic traffic shifts, the first this summer to new
temporary
pavement crews will construct over the next few months.
*Periodic
Columbia Pike closures* – Up to five weekend closures per year of
Columbia
Pike are expected for work such as bridge demolition and erection
of
high beams. These closures will begin after rush hour Friday evening and
reopen
by rush hour on Monday morning. Traffic will be rerouted between S.
Quinn
Street and S. Orme Street around the north side of the intersection.
Message
signs will notify motorists of these closures in advance.
Noise
Impacts
Potential
traffic noise impacts associated with the interchange
modifications
were assessed in 2000 and 2007 (after changes to the
interchange
configuration). In both studies, three sound barriers were
considered
and found to be feasible (provided at least 5 decibels of noise
reduction),
but only one was found to be cost-effective in the latter
study.
The Noise Impact Analysis Technical
Report<http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/resources/NorthernVirginia/13528Noise_Study.pdf>
and
the
Noise Abatement Committee Submittal
Package<http://www.virginiadot.org/VDOT/Projects/Northern_Virginia/asset_upload_file495_55592.pdf>
details
the
analyses, findings, and general location of the proposed sound barrier
based
on the 2007 study. The approval for the sound barrier was provided by
the
Chief Engineer
(letter<http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/resources/NorthernVirginia/13528ChiefEngineer.pdf>)
and
Federal Highway Administration
(letter<http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/resources/NorthernVirginia/Route_27_Route_244_UPC_13528.pdf>).
VDOT
recently updated the State Noise Abatement Policy and created a
Guidance
Manual (see more
information<http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/pr-noise-walls-about.asp>).Please
note
that the policy was not in effect at the time of the study for the
Route
27/244 interchange project, and per an agreement with FHWA, the noise
study
is not being revisited.
Project
Background
The
existing single-span bridge was built in the 1940s by the War
Department
as part of the Pentagon Roadway Network. It is a thick, solid
structure
that suffers from deteriorating concrete, corrosion, and heavy
chloride
contamination. It has also withstood many years of increasing
traffic
loads.
Currently,
the interchange does not operate adequately or accommodate all
users,
and also prohibits widening Columbia Pike. A 2008 traffic analysis
considered
spot improvements and corridor-wide improvements to the
interchange
to address concerns raised by the community working group.
Concerns
included maintaining S. Queen Street access, adding signals along
Columbia
Pike, separating Ramp E from the S. Queen Street intersection to
the
extent possible, and eliminating time-of-day lane use on eastbound
Columbia
Pike. While all concerns could not be addressed through design,
VDOT’s
intent was to determine how best to meet the safety, operation, and
access
issues raised by the Bridge Working Group, while also ensuring that
the
interchange configuration will function adequately during the peak
hours
without queues spilling back onto the mainline of Washington
Boulevard.
View a copy of the traffic analysis
report<http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/resources/NorthernVirginia/27-244_Traffic_Analysis_Report.pdf>
.
The
bridge was rated as “poor” in recent structural inspections, meaning
that
the superficial concrete is in poor condition, but is still
sufficiently
capable of carrying traffic without further restriction or
risk
to the public. Note: Truck drivers are reminded of the bridge's posted
weight
restriction of 27 tons (single truck) and 40 tons (truck with
trailer),
which is Virginia's legal load for these types of vehicles.
Despite
the bridge’s rating, with diligent inspections and maintenance, its
rigid
concrete frame will withstand current traffic loads for the
foreseeable
future, as it has for many years.
Washington
Boulevard carries more than 80,000 vehicles each day over
Columbia
Pike.