Arlington Drivers Face Boundary Channel Drive Delays During Long Bridge Work

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington motorists should expect periodic traffic impacts on Boundary Channel Drive and nearby loop ramps as the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority continues work on the Long Bridge Project.

The impacts are scheduled through April 13 on Boundary Channel Drive and the surrounding loop ramps from I-395 northbound to southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway and Boundary Channel Drive, according to a VPRA advisory. The agency said the work will take place during weekday off-peak travel hours, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting.

VPRA said the Long Bridge Project team will continue establishing the work zone with storage and site preparations. The advisory states that motorists should expect lane narrowing, trucks in the roadway, and storage of material and equipment during this phase. Access to the roadways will be maintained throughout the work, according to the advisory.

The agency also warned that people moving through the area may see delays beyond drivers alone. Motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians should expect intermittent delays and are urged to use caution when traveling through the area, according to the advisory. For public and work crew safety, travelers are asked to follow posted signage and directions from on-site personnel.

The work is part of VPRA's Long Bridge Project, a 1.8-mile rail improvement the authority says will relieve one of the biggest rail bottlenecks on the East Coast. According to VPRA, the project is intended to improve reliability and expand capacity for passenger and freight trains traveling between Virginia and Washington, D.C.

VPRA said the project will create a continuous four-track corridor between the Long Bridge Aquatic Center in Arlington and L'Enfant Plaza in D.C. The project includes five new rail bridges and two new pedestrian and bicycle bridges, according to the authority.

VPRA also said a new two-track rail bridge will be built over the Potomac River next to the existing two-track Long Bridge, along with a new bike and pedestrian bridge connecting Long Bridge Park and the Mount Vernon Trail in Arlington to East Potomac Park in D.C.