VDOT News - Northern Virginia

FAIRFAX – Travelers and area residents are reminded that Cedar Lane Bridge over I-66, located between the Nutley Street and I-495 interchanges, will close for approximately six months starting this Friday night, May 15. The bridge will be demolished and rebuilt to accommodate the widening of I-66, as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project. Drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists will be directed to follow marked detours to Gallows Road to cross I-66.

Crews will demolish the existing Cedar Lane Bridge in four separate sections beginning on the northernmost span when the bridge closes this weekend and continuing south. Demolition is expected to be complete by early summer, and will involve the use of jackhammers, saw cutters, and hoe rams about half of the time on each of the four spans. Vibration and noise will be monitored by the project team throughout the demolition operation. When possible, demolition will occur during daytime hours, but portions of the bridge over I-66 and the Metro tracks must be demolished during nighttime hours when multiple lanes of I-66 can be closed for safety. Construction of the new bridge will begin as demolition progresses. The future Cedar Lane Bridge is scheduled to open in November 2020.

What bridge users should know:

During the Cedar Lane Bridge closure, a posted detour will route drivers to Gallows Road to cross I-66 using either Cottage Street (north side of I-66), or Hilltop Road and Lee Highway (south side of I-66). Pedestrians and cyclists will have a marked detour using existing sidewalks and shared-use path to cross I-66 near the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metrorail Station. The detour will use sidewalks along Cottage Street on the north side of I-66, the shared-use path along Gallows Road, and multiple sidewalks on the south side of I-66. All affected bridge users should stay alert and use caution while getting accustomed to these new detour routes. Click here for more details on detours

The Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project is partnering with Fairfax County to enhance transit services in the vicinity of the bridge. Fairfax Connector Routes 462 and 467, which use the Cedar Lane Bridge to travel between the Dunn Loring Metro station and Vienna-Tysons, will offer increased frequency and expanded hours during the bridge closure to assist affected travelers. Visit www.FairfaxConnector.com for additional information.

What neighbors should expect this weekend (May 15-17) and week of May 18:

• On Friday, May 15, at around 10 p.m., Cedar Lane will close between Cottage Street and Hilltop Road. Heavy equipment needed for demolition will be delivered.
• From Saturday, May 16, through Thursday, May 21, demolition is planned during daytime hours on the northernmost portion of Cedar Lane Bridge. Crews will use jackhammers, saw cutters, and hoe rams to demolish concrete initially, and then will use cranes to remove the old bridge beams.
• Nighttime demolition is planned to begin Monday night, May 18, and will continue through the week on the bridge span over westbound I-66, beginning at approximately 9:30 p.m. each night.

What I-66 drivers should expect this weekend (May 15-17) and week of May 18:

• No additional lane closures are planned this weekend (May 15-17) on I-66 near Cedar Lane in Vienna, as bridge span demolition work will occur outside the I-66 travel lanes and will not require closures on I-66.
• From Monday, May 18, through Friday, May 22, between 9:30 p.m. and 4:30 a.m., I-66 West will be reduced to one lane near Cedar Lane in Vienna for nighttime demolition.

The future Cedar Lane Bridge will consist of two 12-foot lanes (one lane in each direction). A shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists will be built on the east side of the bridge, as well as a sidewalk on the west side of the bridge. The bridge will also have seven-foot-tall fencing on both sides. 

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and construction progress. 

Visit outside.transform66.org/CedarLane for construction updates and more information on the planned closure and reconstruction of Cedar Lane bridge including a video presentation available in English and Spanish. Website visitors can also provide comments or ask questions. 

On Twitter, follow VDOT Northern Virginia at @vadotnova.

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