I-395 Ramp To King Street To Close For 2 Weeks In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A temporary traffic shift will be implemented on King Street over Interstate 395 in Alexandria Monday, and a ramp closure from I-395 will happen for about two weeks.

The Virginia Department of Transportation announced the upcoming traffic impacts as part of the $13 million rehabilitation of King Street over I-395 project. Lane closures in both directions of King Street over I-395 will begin at 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, May 3 as crews install temporary striping for the traffic shift.

Around 5 a.m. Monday, eastbound lanes of the bridge will close, but two-way traffic will be maintained. Eastbound traffic will be shifted so one lane of traffic in each direction runs on the westbound side of the King Street bridge over I-395. Crews will be replacing the bridge deck on the eastbound side.

Drivers heading east on King Street will have a detour option. The detour takes drivers to North Beauregard Street, West Braddock Road, North Van Dorn Street and Menokin Drive back to King Street.

The ramp closure from southbound I-395 to eastbound King Street will begin at 9 a.m. on Monday and continue until around Tuesday, May 18. Work on the eastbound side of the bridge will prompt the ramp closure, according to VDOT. Traffic will be detoured on the southbound I-395 collector-distributor lanes (Exit 7-Glebe Road/Shirlington), North Quaker Lane, Fern Street and Kenwood Avenue back to King Street.

VDOT's King Street over I-395 Bridge Rehabilitation project is expected to be completed in summer 2021. In addition to upgrading the King Street bridge over I-395, VDOT will make pedestrian improvements on King Street between Park Center Drive and Menokin Drive. Those pedestrian improvements include a new westbound King Street pedestrian crossing at 30th Street South, widened King Street median sidewalk between 30th Street South and Menokin Drive, widened westbound King Street sidewalk between 30th Street South and Park Center Drive, upgrades to curb ramps and King Street and Park Center Drive as well as eastbound King Street and Menokin Drive, and upgrades to roadway lighting.

Within the project area, King Street typically sees 43,000 vehicles a day, and I-395 averages up to 208,000 vehicles.