
An upcoming GW Parkway ramp closure suggests the end of Memorial Day weekend will likely bring little relief from traffic in McLean.
The northbound exit ramp from the George Washington Memorial Parkway to the Capital Beltway (I-495) will be closed throughout this coming weekend, the National Park Service recently announced. The closure is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Friday (May 31) and remain in place until 5 a.m. next Monday (June 3).
During the ramp closure, northbound traffic won’t be able to access the GW Parkway, exiting instead at Route 123 (Dolley Madison Blvd). Detour signs will guide drivers to the I-495 interchange in Tysons, if they need to get on the Beltway.
The parkway’s southbound lanes will stay open.
“The ramp closure schedule and work are weather permitting and subject to change,” the NPS said.
According to the park service, the closure is necessary for “drainage installation and rehabilitation work” as part of the ongoing project to update the GW Parkway’s northern section.
Under construction since summer 2022, the $161 million rehabilitation project is the first major effort to upgrade the 7.6-mile stretch of roadway from the Beltway to Sprout Run in Alexandria since it was built in the 1960s.
Changes will include a redesigned Route 123 interchange, new asphalt paving, stormwater management system repairs, extended entrance and exit lanes, reconstructions of stone walls and roadside barriers, and improvements to the overlooks and views along the parkway.
“The project will improve the driving experience, safety and water drainage while retaining and reviving the historic beauty and significance of the parkway – including opening scenic views to Washington, D.C.,” the NPS said.
The project has already limited traffic on the GW Parkway to one northbound and one southbound lane, with a third, temporary lane on the southbound side reversing directions based on the flow of traffic during rush hours. That configuration is slated to remain in place until construction finishes in late 2025.