VDOT in NoVA says all travel lanes on the Georgetown Pike Bridge over I-495 in McLean are scheduled to be shifted to a new northern portion of the bridge this weekend, Aug. 23-26. Travelers should avoid the Georgetown Pike and I-495 interchange area all weekend, as lanes will be reduced on Georgetown Pike and I-495 (Capital Beltway) ramps will be closed with detours in place.
What Drivers Should Expect:
- At 9 p.m., Friday, August 23, lane and ramp closures and work will begin. By no later than 5 a.m., Monday, August 26, all lanes on Georgetown Pike will be open on the new northern section of the bridge, and all Beltway ramps will be reopened.
- During this weekend, Georgetown Pike Bridge over I-495 will be reduced from five to two lanes (one lane open in each direction), and all ramps between the Beltway and Georgetown Pike will be closed with detours in effect.
- These closures are needed for crews to complete paving, lane markings, ramp tie-ins and other work to implement the shift.
For more information about the traffic impacts and detour routes, visit the 495 NEXT website here.
VDOT and its project partners are urging travelers to stay away from the area and take alternate routes to avoid expected congestion and backups on Georgetown Pike near the Beltway. If travel is necessary, drivers should plan additional time and expect delays. Drivers affected by the Beltway ramp closures should slow down, use caution and follow the signed detour routes.
The new Georgetown Pike Bridge over I-495 is being built in phases to keep traffic moving throughout construction of the 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project. Working extended hours over a one-weekend period will enable crews needed time to build up pavement transition areas. This concentrated weekend period ultimately shortens the duration of impacts to local traffic.
After all Georgetown Pike Bridge traffic is shifted to the newly opened northern section of the bridge, crews will demolish the existing southern portion of the bridge. A new southern portion is expected to open in mid-2025, with traffic shifted into its final configuration on the overall new bridge in late 2025.
Get traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511virginia.org, via the free mobile 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime.
Visit 495next.vdot.virginia.gov for the latest construction and lane closure information. All work is weather dependent.
