Route 1 bridge repair work underway

Repairs are in progress on the bridge that takes traffic from southbound I-395 to Route 1 in the Crystal City area.

The $4 million Virginia Dept. of Transportation project will “improve safety and extend the overall life of the bridge,” which was originally built in 1976.

More from a VDOT press release:

Repairs are underway on the weight-restricted (20 tons) southbound I-395/Route 1 Exit 8C bridge, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The project will improve safety and extend the overall life of the bridge, which carries southbound Route 1 over the 395 Express Lanes, the northbound I-395 general purpose lanes and northbound Route 110.

The project includes retrofitting and spot painting structural steel, and replacing the catcher beam system and strip seal at the joint.

During the project, some day and overnight single-lane closures may be scheduled, along with occasional overnight full closures of the bridge with detours.

The bridge, which was originally built in 1976 and rehabilitated in 1999, is about a fifth of a mile long and averages 20,000 vehicles a day.

The $4 million project is financed with federal and state funding and is scheduled for completion in late 2023. […]

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

The entrance to the bridge has been the scene of numerous crashes caused by drivers trying to exit across multiple lanes at the last second, as documented by public safety watcher Dave Statter.