VDOT News - Northern Virginia

FAIRFAX – The Vaden Drive bridge over I-66 near the Vienna Metrorail Station is scheduled to close for approximately 10 months beginning on or about Friday, Oct. 18 to accommodate construction of a new bridge as part of the I-66 Outside the Beltway Express Lanes project. The previously announced bridge closure is expected to cut in half – from 24 months to 12 months - the time needed to demolish the existing bridge and construct a new one. This shortened schedule will help reduce construction impacts on adjacent communities and roadway users.

Additional details about the closure and detours include: 

• On or about Friday, Oct. 18, at 9:30 p.m., Vaden Drive bridge over I-66 will close.
• Drivers will be detoured to Nutley Street to access I-66 East or West or reach points on the other side of I-66.
• Existing access to the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail parking garages to the north and south of I-66 will remain open to traffic, as will the ramp from I-66 West to Country Creek Road.
• To facilitate commuter bus service from the Vienna Metrorail Station during the closure, the Saintsbury Drive ramp to I-66 East will reopen for buses-only during weekday peak periods.
• Improvements will also be made to the intersection of Saintsbury Drive and Nutley Street to accommodate anticipated additional traffic at that intersection while the detour is in place.
• Vaden Drive pedestrian traffic will be detoured across I-66 using the Vienna Metrorail Station pedestrian bridge.

Demolition of the existing Vaden Drive bridge will begin Oct. 18, and is anticipated to be complete by early December. Construction of the new bridge will begin in early November while demolition is underway, and it is anticipated to open in Sept. 2020. Drivers on I-66 should anticipate lane closures and periodic overnight stoppages during this time. 

A new Vaden Drive bridge is needed to accommodate the future, wider I-66, and will provide dedicated Express Lanes access ramps to and from the west for buses and cars only. 

The Transform 66 Project website includes a page dedicated to providing information about construction activities and impacts around the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail Station.

When complete, the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project will feature three general purpose and two Express Lanes in each direction from I-495/Capital Beltway to Route 29 in Gainesville. The I-66 Outside the Beltway Express Lanes are expected to open in December 2022.                               

On Twitter, follow VDOT Northern Virginia at @VaDOTNOVA. 

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