Traffic

Construction kicks off on I-66 Rosslyn tunnel project

I-66 Rosslyn tunnel (photo courtesy VDOT)

VDOT has kicked off work on its I-66 Rosslyn Tunnel Rehabilitation project.

The nearly $38 million project is expected to stretch well into 2025, retrofitting the tunnel under Rosslyn’s Gateway Park that was built some 40 years ago.

The construction will prompt some lane closures on I-66, but mostly during overnight hours.

More from a VDOT press release:

Construction is underway on the rehabilitation and improvements to the Rosslyn Tunnel that carries I-66 under North Nash Street, Fort Myer Drive, North Lynn Street and Gateway Park, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The project’s purpose is to improve safety and extend the overall life of the tunnel.

The project includes removing the existing tunnel ceiling to improve long-term maintenance; upgrading electrical systems; installing a new fireproofing system; repairing steel beams, abutment and pier concrete, and joints; cleaning and repairing bearings; and replacing the tunnel lighting system.

Lane closures on I-66 associated with the project will mainly occur overnights, with at least one lane of I-66 in each direction open at all times.

The tunnel, which opened to traffic in 1983, is nearly a fifth of a mile long and averages 64,000 vehicles a day.

The $37.7 million project is financed with state funding and is scheduled for completion in summer 2025.

For the most recent updates and to learn more, visit the VDOT project webpage.

Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.

You can get real-time traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511virginia.org, via the free mobile 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime.