Aging Van Dorn Street Pedestrian Bridge to be Replaced

Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division (MSMD), a division of Fairfax County’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, will replace a rusted steel pedestrian bridge located adjacent to Van Dorn Street, where it passes under I-495 in Alexandria. The construction will begin on Monday, August 24 and is anticipated to be completed within two weeks.

During construction, the section of trail that connects each end of the bridge will be closed. Pedestrians and cyclists will be provided shuttle service from Oakwood Road to Vine Street. The shuttle will run between the two locations every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, for two weeks. Please see the Pedestrian Transportation Plan.

During installation, one of the northbound lanes on Van Dorn Street will be closed from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. the following morning. Construction will not cause any delays as the closed lane will be opened during the rush hours from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Traffic concerns were addressed when MSMD received the permit of Transportation Management Plan from the Virginia Department of Transportation.

When the steel bridge is removed, crews will clean and paint the steel beams and piers on which the existing bridge sits. This treatment will prevent corrosion and increase the life span of the piers. The new bridge, made of fiberglass, will consist of four bridge spans of approximately 50 and 55-feet each for a total length of 210 feet.

Fiberglass was chosen because it will not be corroded by salt used during snow events. Once the bridge is constructed, new LED lights will be installed on the bridge and located such that no glare will saturate the Van Dorn roadway.

The total cost of this project, which is funded by MSMD’s infrastructure repair program, is approximately $350,000.