Bridge Between Alexandria, Arlington Fully Opens After Repairs

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Normal traffic is resuming on a bridge between Alexandria and Arlington County after repairs were completed to the deteriorating bridge.

Arlington County announced the West Glebe Road bridge at South Four Mile Run Drive was fully open as of last Friday, which includes sidewalks, bike lanes and vehicular lanes. The full opening comes after the bridge partially opened in early March with one vehicular lane in each direction.

Arlington County noted workers will continue working under and on the bridge in the next few weeks.

The bridge was found to have a structural issue during a 2018 inspection, prompting a 5-ton weight restriction and sidewalk closures. The southbound lane on the bridge was converted for pedestrian and bicyclist use, and another inspection in 2021 again prompted shifted lanes and a temporary walking path. Another southbound lane was closed in late March 2022, followed by a full closure to traffic in late April 2022.

Arlington County and the City of Alexandria collaborated on the bridge replacement project. During construction, detours were provided through Interstate 395 and the Mount Vernon Avenue bridge. A temporary bridge for pedestrian and bicyclist traffic opened next to the bridge in July 2022.

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson noted in his August newsletter that there are five bridges between Alexandria and Arlington County: the West Glebe Road bridge, Arlington Ridge Road bridge, Shirlington Road bridge, Richmond Highway/Route 1 bridge and Potomac Avenue bridge. Records show Arlington County is responsible for the West Glebe, Arlington Ridge and Shirlington Road bridges, while the City of Alexandria is responsible for the Route 1 and Potomac Avenue bridges.

The two localities have collaborated on bridge repairs in the past, but Alexandria's mayor said they never made formal agreements. Then in 2020, the localities made an agreement to share costs for inspection, maintenance and repairs of the five bridges. Wilson noted the West Glebe Road bridge project required $10 million to $14 million, while the Arlington Ridge bridge could need $23 million to $28 million

The next bridge project will be the Arlington Ridge Road/Mount Vernon Avenue bridge, which Arlington County found has deterioration like the old West Glebe Road bridge. Along with repairing the bridge, the project will expand sidewalks and bike lanes in both directions.