Traffic pattern to shift at Little River Turnpike in Annandale

ALEXANDRIA — [UPDATED April 14 1:40 p.m.] The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will shift all lanes of traffic to the new Little River Turnpike (Route 236) bridge over I-495 beginning at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, April 18, weather permitting.  The traffic shift will be completed by 5 a.m. Monday morning. This is the first traffic shift to a new bridge as part of the Capital Beltway High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes Project.  Motorists should expect delays approaching the interchange on Thursday as crews make final preparations for the shift.

For the next 18 months, motorists will have two westbound lanes on the bridge rather than three lanes.  In addition, motorists traveling from I-495 North to Route 236 West will have to yield as there is no merge area. More details are available on the fact sheet.

Once traffic is on the new bridge, night work begins to demolish the old bridges. There will be lane closures and detours in this area throughout the spring and summer. Once the demolition is complete, work will begin to rebuild a new westbound bridge.

Motorist Note: Bridge work at 12 of the Capital Beltway’s interchanges inside the I-495 HOT Lanes project work zone between the Springfield Interchange and just north of the Dulles Toll Road will continue throughout the spring, summer and fall. These new bridges and interchange connections are part of the replacement of more than $260 million of aging infrastructure in support of the $1.4 billion Capital Beltway HOT Lanes project.  The project is on schedule for completion in late 2012/early 2013.