The northern section of the George Washington Memorial Parkway is getting a $161 million facelift.
The National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration announced Tuesday that they’ve awarded a contract to rehabilitate the northern section of the parkway, between Spout Run and the Capital Beltway. The Department of the Interior said in a statement that that section of the road has about 26 million drivers a year, and hasn’t been rehabilitated since it opened in 1962.
“This 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.,” Charles Cuvelier, the superintendent of the parkway, said in the statement.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said, “With major infrastructure funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Great American Outdoors Act, the important investments we are making today will ensure that future generations have sustainable and reliable infrastructure.”
Design for the project is just starting; construction is set to begin in 2023 and to be finished in 2025.