10-foot deep sinkhole closes NB GW Parkway for next several days

The northbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway in McLean, Virginia, closed for several days in May. (Courtesy National Park Service)
The northbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway have been closed since the evening of Friday, May 10, 2019, due to a sinkhole. (Courtesy National Park Service)
After stabilization work is done, one northbound lane will reopen and one lane will remain closed until a long-term fix can be made. (Courtesy National Park Service)
gw-sinkhole-3 The National Park Service said it hopes to have one northbound lane open for the Monday morning rush hour. (Courtesy National Park Service)
WTOP traffic reporter Dave Dildine suggests adjusting expectations for Monday's commute as repairs continue on the George Washington Parkway. (Courtesy National Park Service)
(1/5)
The northbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway in McLean, Virginia, closed for several days in May. (Courtesy National Park Service)(Courtesy National Park Service )

Both northbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway will remain closed for the next several days from Virginia 123, Chain Bridge Road, to I-495 and the Capital Beltway because of a sinkhole that developed Friday night, the National Park Service said Saturday.

Engineers on Saturday surveyed the scene and said a 60-year-old, 40-foot deep brick inlet appeared to have failed, causing the 10-foot deep, 30-foot long and 20-foot wide sinkhole.

After stabilization work is done, one northbound lane will reopen and one lane will remain closed until a long-term fix can be made.

The National Park Service said it hopes to have one northbound lane open for the Monday morning rush hour. The rain expected throughout the weekend, however, may slow the work and delay that opening.

Engineers and experts from the Federal Highway Administration will work on a long-term fix over the coming weeks, but said it may be much more complex and take some time.

“Construction on a more permanent solution will likely require both lanes to be closed,” NPS said in a Saturday news release. “Engineers are actively monitoring the situation and additional closures may be necessary for safety as conditions evolve.”

The northbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway, between Virginia state Route 123 and the entrance to the Capital Beltway, near exit 43, have been closed since about 6:45 p.m. on Friday,

The closure affects about five miles of roadway. The closure does not affect the parkway’s southbound lanes.


The NPS said in its statement that no accidents have been reported and “closing the George Washington Parkway is never a decision that is made lightly.

A sinkhole developed in the same area, near Dead Run, in March. That sinkhole opened up underneath the road following heavy rain.

The March sinkhole was about 10 feet deep, 12 feet wide and 30 feet long — or roughly the size of a city bus, according to preliminary findings by the NPS.

For more information, drivers can check the National Park Service website.

Here’s the area where road crews are investigating the possible sinkhole.

Dan Friedell

Dan Friedell is a digital writer for WTOP. He came to the D.C. area in 2007 to work as digital editor for USATODAY.com, and since then has worked for a number of local and national news organizations.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up