Route 27/244 Interchange Modification Project

Replacing a 75-Year-Old Bridge
Arlington County, Virginia

Route 27/244 Interchange modification project included the complete replacement of the existing Route 27 bridge over Route 244. We provided surveying and full engineering design, serving as the engineer of record for the Shirley design-build team for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The project represents the culmination of years of coordination between VDOT, Arlington County, and local citizen groups to replace the bridge, now named the Freedmans Village Bridge, within a historic neighborhood that once served as a community for freed and fugitive slaves.

2

side-by-side bridges

4

12-foot travel lanes

The original single-span concrete arch bridge was constructed in 1942 as part of the Pentagon Roadway Network. Located on Washington Boulevard (Route 27) where it crosses over Columbia Pike (Route 244), the structure was replaced with parallel bridges accommodating four 12-foot travel lanes, an auxiliary lane between ramps, and improved shoulders. The bridge was lengthened to accommodate the addition of turn lanes, a raised median, and pedestrian and bike paths on Columbia Pike; and the interchange was reconfigured to improve operation and safety. Extensive architectural treatments include a concrete block pattern similar to that of the Pentagon, and memorial pylons that feature cast medallions with scenes of the 19th-century village.

Client

VDOT

Awards

2015 Excellence In Infrastructure

HCCA

Cost

$48.5 million

Services

  • Engineering
  • Geospatial, Mapping and Survey

Markets

  • Transportation

Regions

  • Mid-Atlantic