NPS - National Park Service

07/18/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/18/2024 12:37

Detour for Northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway Traffic on July 26 and August 2 Weekends

News Release Date:
July 18, 2024

Contact:Christopher Hershey, 703-289-2508

MCLEAN, Va. - The National Park Service (NPS) will temporarily close the northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) between Spout Run Parkway and Route 123. This is to install drainage systems and conduct other required rehabilitation work.

Closure Schedule:

  • First Weekend: From 8 p.m. on Friday, July 26 until 5 a.m. on Monday, July 29.

  • Second Weekend: From 8 p.m. on Friday, August 2 until 5 a.m. on Monday, August 5.

  • If it rains or there is some other bad weather, the work and closures will be rescheduled.

Detour Information: During the closures, all northbound GWMP traffic must exit at Spout Run Parkway and follow detour signs to Route 123. One southbound lane on GWMP will stay open.

Background 
The rehabilitation of the northern section of the parkway was announced by the Department of the Interior on December 7, 2021. In partnership with the National Park Service, the Federal Highway Administration awarded a $161 million contract to rehabilitate this section of George Washington Memorial Parkway. The project will improve the driving experience, safety and water drainage while retaining and reviving the historic beauty and significance of the parkway - including opening scenic views to Washington, D.C. The NPS began work on the project in September 2022 with design planning and construction in April 2023. Construction efforts include significant progress on rehabilitating the bridges and guardwall.
George Washington Memorial Parkway is a scenic roadway honoring the nation's first president. It preserves cultural and natural resources along the Potomac River from Great Falls to Mount Vernon. The northern section of the parkway - from Spout Run to Interstate 495 - is the busiest section of parkway and serves about 26 million drivers annually. This project is the first rehabilitation in this section of parkway since it was completed in 1962. The project includes replacing the asphalt pavement and roadway drainage system, redesigning portions of the Route 123 interchange, repairing stormwater management systems and lengthening entrance and exit lanes at some interchanges, while retaining and reviving the historic beauty and significance of the parkway.