I-395 Lane Closures Planned Over Duke Street In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Drivers should be prepared for lane closures on Interstate 395 at Duke Street one night this weekend ahead of a new traffic shift, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Three northbound lanes of I-395 will be closed at Duke Street (Route 236) between 11 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6 and 6 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7. Intermittent traffic stoppages of 20 minutes will happen between midnight and 5 a.m. Sunday. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes. Work is weather permitting.

The closures do not impact 395 Express Lanes. All Duke Street interchange ramps will remain open.

After the lane closures end Sunday morning, northbound lanes of I-395 will be shifted to the right until summer 2022. The work is part of the Duke Street bridge over I-395 rehabilitation project. VDOT is replacing the concrete bridge deck and beams, changing the westbound sidewalk to a shared-use path and widening the eastbound sidewalk. With the project, VDOT is aiming to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists as well as extend the life of the bridge. Construction began in July, and the project is expected to be completed in winter 2023 and 2024. The total project cost is $16.7 million, funded with state and federal money.

The Duke Street bridge dates back to 1965. This area of I-395 at the interchange saw up to 181,000 daily vehicles according to 2019 data, while this area of Duke Street saw up to 55,000 vehicles daily in 2019.