Vienna Area Bridge To Close For I-66 Express Lanes Project

VIENNA, VA — Another bridge closure for the Interstate 66 Express Lanes Outside the Beltway project is slated for the Vienna area. The Virginia Department of Transportation anticipates the Cedar Lane bridge over I-66 will close around May 15 for six months.

The closure will likely last until late November, according to VDOT's Outside the Beltway project website. The bridge will be demolished and reconstructed to make room for the widened I-66 with Express Lanes. There will also be a shared-use path and wider sidewalk, as well as connection to the new shared-use path along I-66.

"Closing the bridge for this period will reduce the duration and impacts of construction on travelers and surrounding neighborhoods to about six months, compared to a partial closure that would have taken more than two years to complete," the website states.

The bridge project schedule says bridge demolition will happen between May and June. VDOT anticipates noise impacts from construction and demolition activities occuring during nighttime hours, when multiple travel lanes on I-66 can be closed. Steps to minimize the impacts to nearby homes will include demolishing parts of the bridge not over I-66 and Metrorail tracks during daytime hours when possible, monitoring of construction vibration and noise, dust control measures and directing work area lighting away from homes.

Drivers will be detoured to Gallows Road via Cottage Street or Hilltop Road and Lee Highway. Pedestrians and bicyclists will also have a detour with a crossing over I-66 near the Dunn Loring Metro. Fairfax Connector will offer expanded service on routes 462 and 467 to and from the Dunn Loring station. Service on the two routes will be free during the bridge project.

Crews for the I-66 project will take advantage of Metro's Orange Line summer shutdown for work over Metrorail tracks. Metro recently announced it was expanding the summer shutdown to the West Falls Church and Silver Line stations west of the East Falls Church station.

The Cedar Lane bridge isn't the only one being reconstructed for the I-66 project. The Vaden Drive bridge near the Vienna Metro and Nutley Street exit closed in October 2019 for the same project. The bridge is slated to be closed through summer 2020 for reconstruction.

The Express Lanes outside the Beltway are slated to open in December 2022. For more information and construction updates, visit outside.transform66.org.