Southbound GW Parkway Traffic In McLean To Shift To Northbound Lanes

MCLEAN, VA — The National Park Service is preparing to implement a new traffic pattern on the McLean section of the George Washington Memorial Parkway between Interstate 495 and Route 123 as part of a parkway rehabilitation project.

Starting Saturday, April 15, the southbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway will close between I-495 and Route 123 to allow crews to begin rehabilitating that portion of the roadway.

All traffic will shift to the northbound lanes, which have been expanded with the addition of a third, temporary lane in the median. This temporary lane will serve as a reversible lane, which provides flexibility to change direction for morning and evening rush hours, the NPS said.

The temporary traffic pattern will allow the project contractor greater access to the roadway, which will reduce the time needed to complete the project, according to the park service.

READ ALSO: Park Service Awards $161M Contract For GW Parkway Upgrade Project

Drivers should respect the 40-mph speed limit, expect delays through narrow travel lanes, and plan alternate routes when the work begins on April 15, the NPS said.

The NPS expects the three-lane traffic pattern to be in effect through late 2025. Small physical barriers will divide the narrow, 10-foot-wide lanes. Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight over 10,000 lbs are always prohibited from using the parkway, the NPS said.

In partnership with the NPS, the Federal Highway Administration awarded a $161 million contract to rehabilitate the northern section of the parkway. The project will aim to improve safety and water drainage while retaining and reviving the historic beauty and significance of the parkway, the NPS said.

The project will also include the reconfiguration of the existing roadway geometry at the Route 123 interchange to improve safety, and the rehabilitation of the interchange at the Central Intelligence Agency entrance. The project also is expected to help prevent emergency sinkhole events and increase driver and passenger safety on this stretch of road that is a designated evacuation route for the nation’s capital.

Here are the expected times that the three lanes on the northbound side of the parkway will shift when work begins on April 15:

Weekday morning rush hour (5:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.)

• Two lanes southbound
• Drivers who need to exit at Route 123 or CIA headquarters must use the right lane.
• One lane northbound.

Weekday evening rush hour (2:45 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.)

• Two lanes northbound
• Drivers who need to exit at Route 123 or CIA headquarters must use the right lane.
• One lane southbound

Weekdays (9:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.) and weekends

• One lane southbound
• One lane northbound

RELATED: Groundbreaking Ceremony Held For GW Parkway's $161M Rehab Project