Columbia Island near Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
A Bridge for the Future
George Washington Memorial Parkway
— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
For the past six years, the NPS has been making temporary repairs to the bridge while planning a full rehabilitation. In February 2016, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) informed the NPS that despite these emergency repairs, without a complete rehabilitation, the accelerated deterioration of the concrete road deck would require a full bridge closure in 2021.
In 2017, it was announced that $227 million has been awarded for the National Park Service to rehabilitate Arlington Memorial Bridge.
The ongoing construction work will replace the drawbridge span, rehabilitate the concrete approach spans, and replace the concrete deck. Workers will protect the bridge's historic appearance by removing, rehabilitating, and then resetting the stone curbs and light posts. The metal fascia that conceals the span and the stone statuary will be cleaned and restored. In addition, parts of the original machinery and control mechanisms that served the historic drawbridge span will be retained.
The historic stone and metal cladding will be rehabilitated and the existing draw span will be replaced with variable depth steel girders. The new structural steel will significantly extend the useful life of the bridge and reduce maintenance costs.
Erected 2019 by National Park
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Bridges & Viaducts • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical month for this entry is February 2016.
Location. 38° 53.191′ N, 77° 3.486′ W. Marker is near Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is on Columbia Island. Marker is on Independence Avenue Southwest, 0.7 miles west of Lincoln Memorial Circle Southwest, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2912 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington DC 20418, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. An Engineering Marvel (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Building a Beautiful Bridge (about 600 feet away); Rehabilitating a National Treasure (about 800 feet away); A Symbol of Reconciliation (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Symbol of Union (approx. ¼ mile away in Virginia); A National Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Avenue of Heroes (approx. 0.3 miles away in Virginia); Bridge to Peace (approx. 0.3 miles away in Virginia). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southwest Washington.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 12, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 186 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 12, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
