VDOT News - Northern Virginia

FAIRFAX – Demolition of the old Route 50 East bridge over I-66 in Fairfax will require multiple nights of closures on I-66 West, intermittent traffic stoppages on I-66 East, and closures of multiple ramps this weekend (July 16-17) and next week (July 18-24). Planned traffic impacts include full closure of I-66 West at Route 50 during the overnight hours Saturday, July 17, through Tuesday, July 20, and Saturday, July 24. The I-66 West ramps to/from Route 50 will also be closed. Traffic will be detoured using Route 50 and West Ox Road.

On Wednesday night, July 21, through Friday night, July 23, I-66 East and West approaching Route 50 will be reduced to a single travel lane in each direction for about one mile. Two-way traffic will run on the I-66 West side so that crews can safely prepare the old concrete bridge deck for demolition. The Route 50 Interchange is being rebuilt as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.

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

Demolition Progress to Date:

• Crews completed demolition of the old Route 50 West bridge over I-66 East and West on July 16.

What’s Ahead This Weekend and the Week of July 18:

• Eastbound Route 50 traffic will be shifted to a new Route 50 East bridge over I-66 on Saturday morning, July 17.

• Beginning Friday night, July 16, through Friday night, July 23, crews will perform work to prepare the old Route 50 East bridge for demolition.
• Demolition of the old Route 50 East bridge deck over I-66 will begin on or about Saturday, July 24, using jackhammers, saw cutters, and hoe rams, followed by removal of steel bridge beams.
• Demolition work will occur during overnight hours when over travel lanes of I-66. 

• For updates on demolition progress visit org/route50.

What Drivers Should Expect:

Friday, July 16
I-66 West at Route 50

• Two lanes will be closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• All lanes will reopen by 9 a.m.

Ramp from Route 50 West to I-66 West

• The ramp from westbound Route 50 to I-66 West will be closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• 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. 

Saturday, July 17, through Tuesday, July 20, and Saturday, July 24
I-66 West at Route 50

• I-66 West travel lanes will be closed at Route 50 nightly from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. (until 6 a.m. on Sundays).
• 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. (6 a.m. Sundays)

Ramp from Route 50 West to I-66 West

• The ramp from westbound Route 50 to I-66 West will be closed nightly from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. (until 6 a.m. Sundays)
• 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.

Ramp from I-66 West to Route 50 East

• The ramp from I-66 West to eastbound Route 50 will be closed nightly from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. (until 6 a.m. Sundays)
• Traffic will be directed to exit the interstate to Route 50 West, continue to West Ox Road South, then stay to the right to Route 50 East.

Wednesday, July 21, through Friday, July 23
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 narrowed to a single lane and directed to cross over on to 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 roadway 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 narrowed 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 on to the westbound lanes. 
• Between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night two-way traffic on I-66 West will be separated by traffic 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 from Monument Drive to I-66 East/from I-66 West will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night.

Ramp from I-66 East to Route 50 West

• The ramp from I-66 East to Route 50 West 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 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.