VDOT News - Northern Virginia

FAIRFAX – Demolition of the old Route 50 East bridge over I-66 continues with beam removal and demolition of bridge piers planned this weekend and throughout next week as the Route 50 Interchange is rebuilt as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project. The work will require multiple nights of closures and traffic stoppages on I-66, along with associated ramp closures and detours. 

Planned traffic impacts include overnight full closure of westbound I-66 at Route 50 Friday and Saturday, August 6 and 7, and Wednesday, August 11, through Friday, August 13, with traffic detoured using Route 50 and Route 608 (West Ox Road). 

Nightly beginning Sunday, August 8, through Tuesday, August 10, I-66 approaching Route 50 in Fairfax will be reduced to a single travel lane in each direction for about one mile. The I-66 East side of the interstate will be closed and two-way traffic will run on the I-66 West side so that crews can safely remove overhead bridge beams over I-66 East travel lanes. 

Drivers traveling on I-66 during this time should expect delays and consider using alternate routes. 

Demolition Progress to Date:

• Crews completed concrete demolition on the old eastbound Route 50 bridge deck over the I-66 East travel lanes during the week of August 2.
• Demolition of the old Route 50 West bridge over I-66 was completed on July 16.

What’s Ahead This Weekend and the Week of August 8:

• Demolition of the remainder of the old Route 50 East bridge over I-66 East will continue with removal of the steel bridge beams, followed by demolition of the bridge piers using jackhammers, saw cutters, and hoe rams.
• Demolition work will occur during overnight hours when over travel lanes of I-66. 
• For updates on demolition progress, visit transform66.org/route50

What Drivers Should Expect:

Friday, August 6; Saturday, August 7; and Wednesday, August 11, through Friday, August 13
I-66 West at Route 50

• I-66 West travel lanes will be closed at Route 50 this weekend on Friday and Saturday nights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.; next week on Wednesday and Thursday nights from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.; and Friday, August 13, from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• All westbound I-66 traffic will be directed to exit the interstate to Route 50 West, continue to West Ox Road South, stay to the right to Route 50 East, then follow signs to I-66 West.
• All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. (by 6 a.m. Saturday and Sunday mornings)

Ramp from Route 50 West to I-66 West

• The ramp will be closed this weekend on Friday and Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.; next week on Wednesday and Thursday nights from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.; and Friday, August 13, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for removal of overhead bridge beams.
• Traffic will be detoured farther west to West Ox Road South, stay to the right to Route 50 East, then follow signs to I-66 West.

Sunday, August 8, through Tuesday, August 10
I-66 East and West Between Monument Drive and Waples Mill Road

• Around 10 p.m. each night traffic on I-66 East approaching Monument Drive will be reduced to a single lane and directed to cross over onto the I-66 West side of the roadway. Eastbound traffic will remain in this pattern until east of Route 50, where it will then cross back over to the I-66 East side of the interstate through a gap in the median barrier and resume normal travel. 
• Around 10 p.m. each night traffic on I-66 West approaching Waples Mill Road will be reduced to a single right lane and remain on the right side of the interstate beyond Monument Drive. Westbound traffic will resume normal travel following the point where eastbound traffic crosses onto the westbound lanes. 
• Between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night two-way traffic on I-66 West will be separated by construction barrels and one closed travel lane. State police will be on-site to assist with traffic control. 
• All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m.

Ramp from Monument Drive to I-66 East/from I-66 West

• The ramp will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night. 

Ramp from I-66 East to Route 50 West

• The ramp will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night.
• Traffic will be detoured prior to the closure to Route 50 East, stay to the left and make a U-turn from the left-most left turn lane at the Waples Mill Road traffic signal on to Route 50 West. 

All work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled if inclement conditions occur.

The I-66/Route 50 Interchange is being rebuilt to add Express Lanes access to and from the east and to construct a new shared-use path as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.  

Construction and lane closure updates are available at Transform66.org and on Twitter @VaDOTNOVA. To receive updates automatically by email, sign up here.   

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Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.