New Route 50 East Bridge over I-66 Scheduled to Open on or about Saturday, July 17
Posted on Jul 14th, 2021
FAIRFAX – Continued demolition of the old Route 50 West bridge will require multiple nights of I-66 West closures, I-66 East traffic stoppages, ramp closures, and varied detours this week (July 13-17). Planned traffic impacts include I-66 East and West approaching Route 50 in Fairfax being reduced to a single travel lane in each direction for about one mile during the overnight hours tonight (Tuesday, July 13), and Thursday, July 15. Two-way traffic will run on the I-66 West side so that crews can safely demolish the westbound Route 50 bridge span over I-66 East. The Route 50 Interchange is being rebuilt as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.
Drivers traveling on I-66 during this time should expect delays and should consider using alternate routes.
Demolition Progress to Date:
- Crews completed demolition of the concrete deck of the old Route 50 West bridge over I-66 West travel lanes during the week of July 6.
- Crews began demolition of the bridge deck over I-66 East this past weekend.
What’s Ahead the Rest of This Week, July 13-17:
- Demolition work on the remainder of the old westbound Route 50 bridge will continue over I-66 East travel lanes through Saturday, July 17, with removal of the concrete bridge deck using jackhammers, saw cutters, and hoe rams, followed by removal of steel bridge beams.
- Crews will remove beams from the old Route 50 West bridge over both I-66 East and West.
- Demolition work will occur during overnight hours when over travel lanes of I-66.
- For updates on demolition progress, visit transform66.org/route50
- Eastbound Route 50 traffic will be shifted to a new Route 50 East bridge over I-66 on or about Saturday, July 17, with demolition of the old eastbound bridge to begin on or about Sunday, July 18.
What Drivers Should Expect:
Tuesday, July 13
- Ramp from Route 50 West to I-66 West
- The ramp from Route 50 West to I-66 West will be closed from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for removal of overhead bridge beams.
- Traffic will be detoured farther west to West Ox Road South, stay to the right to Route 50 East, then follow signs to I-66 West.
Tuesday, July 13, and Thursday, July 15
- I-66 East and West Between Monument Drive and Waples Mill Road
- Around 10 p.m., traffic on I-66 East approaching Monument Drive will be narrowed to a single lane and directed to cross over on to the I-66 West side of the roadway.
- Eastbound traffic will remain in this pattern until east of Route 50, where it will then cross back over to the I-66 East side of the roadway through a gap in the median barrier and resume normal travel.
- Around 10 p.m., traffic on I-66 West approaching Waples Mill Road will be narrowed to a single lane and remain on the right side of the interstate beyond Monument Drive. Westbound traffic will resume normal travel following the point where eastbound traffic crosses on to the westbound lanes.
- Between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night, two-way traffic on I-66 West will be separated by traffic barrels and one closed travel lane. State police will be on-site to assist with traffic control and response.
- All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m.
- The ramp from Monument Drive to I-66 East/from I-66 West will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night.
- Ramp from Monument Drive to I-66 East/from I-66 West
- Ramp from I-66 East to Route 50 West
- The ramp from I-66 East to Route 50 West will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night.
- Traffic will be detoured prior to the closure to Route 50 East, stay to the left and make a U-turn from the left-most turn left lane at the Waples Mill Road traffic signal on to Route 50 West.
Wednesday, July 14
- I-66 West travel lanes will be closed at Route 50 from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- All I-66 West traffic will be directed to exit the interstate to Route 50 West, continue to West Ox Road South, stay to the right to Route 50 East, then follow signs to I-66 West.
- All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m.
- The ramp from Route 50 West to I-66 West will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Traffic will be detoured farther west to West Ox Road South, stay to the right to Route 50 East, then follow signs to I-66 West.
- The ramp from I-66 West to eastbound Route 50 will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Traffic will be directed to exit the interstate to Route 50 West, continue to West Ox Road South, then stay to the right to Route 50 East.
- I-66 West at Route 50
- Ramp from Route 50 West to I-66 West
- Ramp from I-66 West to Route 50 East
- I-66 East at Route 50
- Two lanes will be closed on eastbound I-66 approaching Route 50 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m.
Friday, July 16
- I-66 East at Route 50
- I-66 East will be reduced to a single travel lane from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Drivers should expect periodic stoppages of up to 20 minutes.
- All lanes will reopen by 9 a.m.
Saturday, July 17
- I-66 West travel lanes will be closed at Route 50 from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- All I-66 West traffic will be directed to exit the interstate to Route 50 West, continue to West Ox Road South, stay to the right to Route 50 East, then follow signs to I-66 West.
- All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m.
- The ramp from Route 50 West to I-66 West will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Traffic will be detoured farther west to West Ox Road South, stay to the right to Route 50 East, then follow signs to I-66 West.
- The ramp from I-66 West to eastbound Route 50 will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Traffic will be directed to exit the interstate to Route 50 West, continue to West Ox Road South, then stay to the right to Route 50 East.
- I-66 West at Route 50
- Ramp from Route 50 West to I-66 West
- Ramp from I-66 West to Route 50 East
- All work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled if inclement conditions occur.
- The I-66/Route 50 Interchange is being rebuilt to add Express Lanes access to and from the east and to construct a new shared-use path as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.