Provided by Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
First New Bridge of the Project to Open Next Month
The new Bull Run Drive bridge over I-66 will fully open in March and the old one will be demolished.
Final touches are being made to the new Bull Run Drive bridge over I-66 in western Fairfax County. The new overpass is scheduled to be fully open to traffic in March. Once all traffic is transitioned to the new bridge, the old bridge will be demolished to allow space for new highway lanes underneath.
This will be the first of many new bridges to open as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project,. Sixty-two new overpasses and ramps will be built between Gainesville and I-495. Thirty-four new bridges and ramps are currently under construction at Route 234 Business (Sudley Road), Compton Road, Route 28, Poplar Tree Road, Route 50, Waples Mill Road, Route 123, Vaden Drive, Gallows Road, and I-495.
Bridge Demolition Continues Along the Project Corridor
Many existing bridges will be demolished as they are modified or replaced. Of note:
- Vaden Drive bridge demolition occurred in late 2019
- Waples Mill Road bridge partial demolition was completed in February 2020
- The ramp from I-66 West to Route 123 South demolition will finish by early March
- I-66 bridges over Fairfax County Parkway partial demolition is on schedule to be complete by the end of March
Traffic Pattern Changes at Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) Interchange
Construction at the Route 123 Interchange includes demolishing
the ramp from I-66 West to Route 123 South.
Additional traffic pattern changes are being implemented at the Route 123 Interchange as construction of the new interchange advances. On Feb. 21, the old ramp from I-66 East to Route 123 North permanently closed (1) and drivers began using a new ramp and traffic signal to access Route 123 (2). Traffic will now use the exit from I-66 East to Route 123 South, then stay to the left to use two signal-controlled turn lanes to turn left onto northbound Route 123. Traffic exiting to Route 123 South will turn right at the traffic signal (3).
On Feb. 21, drivers exiting I-66 East to Route 123 North began using a new exit ramp and two left-turn lanes at a temporary traffic signal.
Around mid-March, the current ramp from Route 123 South to I-66 East will be closed (4). Drivers on Route 123 South will access I-66 East using two-left turn lanes at a traffic signal to reach a new ramp (5), then merge into the current ramp from Route 123 North to I-66 East.
Beginning mid-March, drivers on Route 123 South heading to I-66 East will
begin using two left-turn lanes at a temporary traffic signal and a new ramp.
The old loop ramps from I-66 East to Route 123 North and from Route 123 South to I-66 East will be demolished to allow construction of Express Lanes ramps and a shared-use path at the redesigned Route 123 Interchange.
Additional construction activities this past month include:
- Work on 53 retaining walls along the corridor
- Construction of the Balls Ford Park and Ride Lot in Manassas
- Small charge blasting east and west of the Route 28 Interchange and east of the Route 234 Business (Sudley Road) Interchange
- Noise wall removal and replacement throughout the corridor
- Water line relocation at Stringfellow Road, Cedar Lane, and Gallows Road
- Construction of new utility duct bank along I-66 East
March 2 through 6 is Telework Week in Virginia
March 2 through 6 is being recognized as Telework Week in Virginia. For workers and businesses, telework promotes performance, encourages work-life balance, and improves morale, retention, and productivity of employees. For our region, it helps alleviate traffic congestion, reduces fuel consumption, and improves air quality.
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s Telework!VA program, in partnership with VDOT, provides financial incentives and free in-person consultations for new or expanded telework programs to businesses in the immediate areas affected by the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project. Learn more about the Telework!VA program and about other programs to assist commuters during project construction.
