John Matthews
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) Commuting across Arlington Memorial Bridge is going to be a burden for at least the rest of the year.
The National Park Service has closed both curbside lanes of the bridge, as well as 4 feet of the adjoining sidewalks, until emergency repairs can be completed to strengthen the underside of the bridge. In addition, a 10-ton load restriction is now in place for the entire span, a move that will eliminate most bus traffic across the bridge.
From a National Park service press release:
During a routine annual inspection of Arlington Memorial Bridge, Federal Highway Administration engineers identified a corroded area that warranted further evaluation. The follow-up evaluation revealed that secondary load-bearing support beams, located at the bascule span, are corroding at a faster rate than anticipated and no longer meet load-bearing standards. Using the latest structural scanning technology and confirming the results with core samples of the deck, the inspection also revealed significant deterioration of the concrete deck. Instituting the load limit will help extend the life of the deck for passenger vehicles.
“With the precautionary measures in place, Arlington Memorial Bridge is safe to travel within the open lanes, sidewalks and posted load limits,” said Alexcy Romero, George Washington Memorial Parkway superintendent. “Federal Highway Administration engineers used the latest technology to locate the compromised areas and used an engineering-driven decision process to make their recommendations.”
The National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration are expediting temporary repairs originally scheduled for September 2015 to address the corrosion in the bascule span. The work includes strengthening and repairing portions of the sidewalk throughout the bridge, adding new support beams along portions of the bascule span and resurfacing the roadway with an ultrathin bonded material. Repair work is expected to begin in July and last 6-9 months.
Arlington Memorial Bridge opened in 1932. Its drawbridge, which in its time was one of the fastest-opening of its kind in the world, has not been opened since 1961.
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