$9.5 Million Rehab of I-395 King Street Bridge Coming in 2018 in Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The King Street bridge over Interstate 395, built in 1970, will get a$9.5 million overhaul beginning in the summer of 2018, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The project is slated to be completed by the fall of 2019.

The five-span structure carries six lanes of traffic, three in the eastbound direction and three in the westbound direction along with a median sidewalk. The 410-foot bridge consists of concrete deck, steel superstructure, and concrete substructure.

The bridge is classified as "structurally deficient" and is a candidate for federal funds for replacement, according to VDOT.

“Structurally deficient” does not mean that a structure is in danger of imminent failure, VDOT points out, but that its condition has deteriorated to a point where it requires significant repairs to continue to safely carry today’s traffic loads.

Proposed repairs include the following:

• Installing An Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) system with Latex Modified Concrete (LMC) overlay.
• Repair damaged concrete and install an ICCP system in the pier caps.
• Repair damaged column concrete and apply Electrochemical Chloride Extraction (ECE) treatment, and seal the treated surface with a breathable sealer.
• Repair damaged Abutment concrete, apply ECE treatment, and seal the treated surface with a breathable sealer
• Repair and paint all steel beams and replace bearings.
• Reconstruct the substandard bridge barrier/railing.
• Repair and/or replace guardrail, mill and overlay approaches.

See photos of some of the bridge here, provided by VDOT: