Portion Of Columbia Pike Closes For Arlington Cemetery Expansion

ARLINGTON, VA — A portion of Columbia Pike next to the Air Force Memorial will be closed for more than a year as Arlington National Cemetery undergoes an expansion that will create more than 80,000 new burial plots.

Starting Monday, the half-mile portion of Columbia Pike was closed between South Joyce Street and the Virginia Department of Transportation facility located immediately east of South Oak Street to allow for the cemetery construction.

The closures will remain in place until the summer of 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

All traffic will get detoured onto the new South Nash Street and Southgate Road. The Air Force Memorial Metrobus stop will close while a new temporary stop is built on South Nash Street.

During the closure, the Federal Highway Administration will realign Columbia Pike and build a tunnel for the Arlington National Cemetery expansion. The Air Force Memorial will remain open to the public during its regular hours.

The project, called the Arlington National Cemetery Southern Expansion Project, will add 50 acres to the cemetery, allowing it to continue burials through the 2050s, ARLnow reported.

“While we understand that this closure will impact many in our Arlington community, we are looking forward to the improvements in infrastructure that it will bring to those who drive, bike, and walk along the soon to be south entrance of the cemetery,” Charles Alexander, superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery, said in a statement.

Detours will allow vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians to access the area during the expansion project, according to the cemetery. Specific detours include:

• Eastbound traffic on Columbia Pike will be rerouted onto the newly constructed South Nash Street. This street flows onto Southgate Road and routes eastbound drivers to the intersections of Columbia Pike, South Joyce Street and Southgate Road.
• Westbound traffic on Columbia Pike will turn right onto Southgate Road at its intersections with Columbia Pike and South Joyce Street. Then, drivers will turn left onto South Nash Street in order to flow back onto Columbia Pike going westbound.
• Northbound traffic from South Joyce Street will continue straight onto Southgate Road at its intersections with Columbia Pike and South Joyce Street. Drivers will then turn left onto South Nash and flow onto Columbia Pike.

The Navy Annex along Columbia Pike was demolished in 2013 to make room for the Arlington National Cemetery expansion, which is scheduled to be completed in 2027.