June 27, 2025

What's Happening?

With southbound I-495 traffic planned to shift onto the new outside lanes during overnight hours on or about Friday, June 27, crews will have access to the entire retired median of the Beltway (northbound I-495 traffic shifted onto new outside lanes on May 9). This new access will facilitate work on the new 495 Express Lanes, associated ramps and the second half of the new Georgetown Pike bridge. 

The blue beams of the new Georgetown Pike bridge are visible behind the soon-to-be-demolished center pier located in the median of the Beltway (June 2025).

Intermittent day and night demolition of the remaining center pier of the original Georgetown Pike bridge and the foundation of the center pier of the old Live Oak Drive bridges will start on or about Monday, June 30 and continue during weekdays and Saturdays for one to two weeks. Demolition work will pause over the Independence Day holiday weekend.

Within the newly retired center median between Georgetown Pike and the George Washington Memorial Parkway, subsequent day and nighttime work (e.g., bridge girder installation, drainage, paving, etc.) will occur over the coming months, which is necessary to meet the scheduled opening of the new Express Lanes in late 2025.

What to Expect:

Demolition involves hammering, saw cutting and crushing sections of concrete, as well as lifting and loading concrete debris into dump trucks. Nearby residents may experience the following:  

• Noise from hammers, saws and hydraulic crushers breaking up concrete.
• Back-up alarm beeping (required for safety reasons).
• Engine and loading noise from trucks and cranes.
• Light pollution from light towers. To the extent feasible, lights will be directed away from residential areas, but some light pollution is unavoidable.

The 495 NEXT project team appreciates neighbors' patience as this impactful work is performed.

Resources:

Learn how various features of the 495 NEXT project interact with your property by using the interactive map on 495NEXT.vdot.virginia.gov. Enter your address in the search bar to view your home in relation to various project features, including the future Beltway itself and location of replacement noise walls.

Check 495NEXT.vdot.virginia.gov for the latest construction updates and to sign up to receive the project newsletter and other information.

Construction plans are subject to change due to weather, utility relocations performed by outside companies, resequencing of work to facilitate on-time completion of the overall project, and other factors.

Questions?

Email: 495NorthernExtension@vdot.virginia.gov

Call: Construction Inquiry Line, 703-592-6430

Virginia Department of Transportation, Michelle Holland, 703-586-0487

Transurban, Michael McGurk, 571-421-5364

Lane Construction, John Undeland, 703-785-3461