Overnight ramp closures and detours are set to begin tonight on northbound I-495 in Virginia at the Dulles Corridor and George Washington Memorial Parkway interchanges. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) announced that these closures will continue nightly through September 5, except for the Labor Day holiday weekend.
The affected ramps include those from both westbound and eastbound Dulles Toll Road/Airport Access Highway (Route 267) to northbound I-495 (Capital Beltway), as well as the ramp from northbound I-495 to southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway. According to VDOT, “Starting on or about tonight, Monday, Aug. 25 and continuing nightly through Thursday night, Aug. 28, and again Tuesday night, Sept. 2 through Friday night, Sept. 5, the ramp from eastbound Dulles Toll Road/Airport Access Highway to northbound I-495 (Capital Beltway Inner Loop) (Exit 18B) will be closed and detoured from 9:30 p.m. at night to 5 a.m. the next morning. The ramp from northbound I-495 to southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) (Exit 43) will also be closed and detoured from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next morning on the same dates.”
Further closures involve the ramp from westbound Dulles Toll Road to northbound I-495 on Thursday night, August 28, and again from Tuesday night, September 2 through Friday night, September 5 during overnight hours.
VDOT explained that these measures are required for project work related to paving, striping, material hauling, traffic shifts, and roadway construction as part of the I-495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project.
Closures will not take place between noon on Friday, August 29 and 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 2 in observance of Labor Day.
Detour routes have been provided for motorists affected by these closures:
– Drivers traveling eastbound on Dulles Toll Road/Airport Access Highway heading for northbound I-495 should take Exit 18A to southbound I-495 then use Exit 46B for northbound Route 123/Chain Bridge Road before merging onto northbound I-495.
– Those heading westbound should take Exit 19A for southbound Route 123/Dolley Madison Boulevard about one-third of a mile before the closed ramp; after approximately two-thirds of a mile on Route 123 they can access an on-ramp back onto northbound I-495.
– The ramp from southbound Route 123 to westbound Dulles Toll Road remains open but drivers wanting access to northbound I-495 via Exit 18 must continue along Route 123 until reaching its corresponding on-ramp.
– For motorists traveling on northbound I-495 toward southbound GW Parkway: they should continue across American Legion Bridge into Maryland using Exit 41 for Clara Barton Parkway; stay left for west Clara Barton Parkway; exit at Carderock with subsequent left turns leading back onto east Clara Barton Parkway; finally exit and merge onto south I-495 toward Virginia before taking Exit 43 for GW Parkway.
All scheduled work is subject to weather conditions which may cause changes or rescheduling.
VDOT encourages drivers in this area to exercise caution due to possible delays. Traffic updates are available online at https://511.vdot.virginia.gov/, through the free mobile app or by calling ‘511’ within Virginia anywhere anytime.
For further information regarding ongoing construction or lane closures connected with this project visit https://495next.vdot.virginia.gov/.
