Partial Closure of Northbound GW Parkway This Weekend

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by ARLnow.com October 2, 2012 at 12:55 pm 6,846 33 Comments

(Updated at 2:15 p.m.) A large stretch of the northbound George Washington Parkway will be shut down this weekend due to rock stabilization work.

All northbound lanes of the parkway will be closed from Spout Run to Chain Bridge. The closure is scheduled to be in place from 7:15 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5, to 5:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 8, according to the National Park Service.

“Detours will be posted, variable message boards have been placed, but alternate routes are strongly advised,” NPS said.

One possible way around the closure for GW Parkway drivers is to take the northbound Spout Run Parkway to Lee Highway, Lee Highway north to Military Road, Military Road north to Glebe Road, Glebe Road northeast to Chain Bridge Road, and Chain Bridge Road north to back to the GW Parkway. Another alternative route, for drivers heading to the Beltway, is to take Spout Run to Lee Highway to westbound I-66.

The rock stabilization project is being performed through Dec. 19 by the Federal Highway Administration. The goal is to stabilize the “rock slopes” of two sites near Spout Run that experienced recent “rock fall events.” The second site, just north of Spout Run, had a boulder fall onto the parkway as a result of the Aug. 23, 2011 earthquake, according to FHA.

In addition to the closure this coming weekend, one of the three northbound lanes of the parkway near Spout Run is closed through the end of the project, and a second (middle) lane is closed during non-rush hours. On top of that, two additional full weekend closures are also planned this month.

“A second and third full weekend closure at the north slide is tentatively scheduled for the weekends of October 13th and 14th and October 20th and 21st,” according to the Park Service.

Photo via the Federal Highway Administration

Leeway Heights

Take 66.
- BrianKal
  
  last closure lotsa people did and 66wb inside the Beltway was a hot mess.
  - Good Grief
    
    I take this route home every day and its been terrible since the construction. Its extra irritating that they started in the spring and again in the winter vs. work through the summer when traffic is less congested.
    - clrdon
      
      100% agree. Whoever came up with this brilliant idea should be in another line of work. Totally botches the commute everyday.
      - Sherriff Gonna Getcha
        
        yeah – it backs traffic up all the way over the roosevelt bridge onto E street, total nightmare. Takes 25 minutes to get from K street to the bridge sometimes now.
      - Charles
        
        I LIKE WHERE THE ARTICLE SAYS “alternate routes are strongly advised” only.
Good Grief

From Old Town??
- malaka
  
  yes via 110
Arlingtoon

7:15 p.m. seems (to me, at least) to be a pretty early start-time. The evening rush hour will still be going on. They’re going to inconvenience a lot more people than they would if they waited until 8:00.
- Sherriff Gonna Getcha
  
  see the above comments, clearly they dont care, they have already totally botched this. They could’ve at least lifted the HOV restriction during this for 66 b/t 29 and Glebe.
It’s Me

Commuting home from DC this backups across the outbound Right lane on the Roosevelt Bridget, back up E-Street expressway all the way to the White House. Gotta be a better time to do this…
Beth

This project has really messed up traffic on the Teddy Roosevelt bridge during the evening rush hour (even for those not taking the GW Parkway).
- TomTom
  
  yea, I see on traffic cameras GWP is black and red (the worst type of traffic indicator) from 14th Bridge to this construction. I didn’t make the connection though
why round 2?

Yeah, they had this same section closed for a long time last winter for what seems like the exact same type of work. If they weren’t done, why didn’t they work through the summer when the traffic situation is so much better. such a pain.
gmfbcc

What a trainwreck. I’m just glad I have a reverse commute.
- Huh?
  
  You drive backwards?
  - gmfbcc
    
    I’m the only one going that way. It’s awesome.
Jimmy

This project combines the worst parts of particulary in-ept and non-citizen friendly entities – the Forest Service and the FHA. Given that the project backs traffic up daily for hours past the White House towards DuPont Circle, there must have been alternative ways to approach the project – including night work and a temporary barrier. Given the gridlock around the White House for much of the rush hour period, it may well be a security issue now. Let’s hope DHS shuts down or accelerates the project. It is likely our only hope.
- @Jimmy
  
  Why are you throwing the Forest Service into the mix? The GW parkway, and most of the federal parks in the area, are managed by the National Parks Service. The NPS is a Dept of Interior agency while the Forest Service is a USDA agency.
  
  Why all the misdirected hostility?
  - Walker
    
    It’s a DOT project. You are both way off.
    - @Walker
      
      I made no claim to whose project this was. Just clarifying the structure of the Agencies.
      - Walker
        
        This is not an Interior project.
      - @Walter
        
        I don’t care whose project it is.
        I’m simply pointing out that (a) The Forest Service was never mentioned in the article, and (b) the common misconception that the Forest Service and the National Parks Service are the same agency, or even under the same Department, is inaccurate.
      - Sherriff Gonna Getcha
        
        whoever is doing this- they suck.
novasteve

Does anyone know why the mystery traffic on 66 happens even on weekends? It comes to a complete stop for no apparent reason. That’s why I take the GW parkway instead.
- TomTom
  
  EB or WB? Well both because of lanes gone. .. EB as you loose the exit only lane, WB as you loose that Glebe/Fairfax long ramp
@TomTom

“Loose”! Classic! You may want to look up the word “lose” next time.
Walker

Lorcom Lane is the better alternative to the Lee Highway option. Too much of a mess in Cherrydale. Maybe even throw in the Nelly Custis cut-over to Military to avoid the light and for a little more scenic route.
CW

Sounds like there are a lot of folks around here that would just rather have rocks fall on their cars…
- Good Grief
  
  Yes
1RLI

For the folks complaining about how this work will complicate rush hour and force traffic backups to Philadelphia, the article states this will be done on the weekend. This should not, therefore, negatively impact your lives, even if you work on the Columbus Day holiday.

“The closure is scheduled to be in place from 7:15 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5, to 5:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 8, according to the National Park Service.”
- why round 2?
  
  The specified closure this weekend is not the (only) problem. They have been doing this work already and have one lane permanently closed during construction, that is what is causing the horrible backups people are referencing.
  - BrianKal
    
    and the weekend will impact, notice how busy GWP is on weekends, that traffic needs to somewhere else, including the preprtely crowded 2-lane I-66 and one lane Military Road/Lee Highway, plus access to Chain Bridge

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