A four-year, $167 million rehabilitation project along the northern end of George Washington Parkway is now complete.
The project brought years of lane closures and traffic shifts between the Capital Beltway and Spout Run, along one of the region’s busiest commuter routes.
“Today, we celebrate the renewal of one of the most historic and heavily traveled gateways into our nation’s capital,” Jen Madello, the parkway’s National Park Service superintendent, said.
Officials celebrated the reopening with a ribbon cutting along the roadway Monday.
Among those marking the milestone was Rep. Don Beyer, of Virginia, who joked about the construction that kept drivers on their toes with constantly shifting traffic patterns.
“I do confess, I’m going to miss shifting lanes every quarter mile or so on lanes that seem like they’re 5 feet wide,” Beyer said.
Work began in 2022 and included paving, improving drainage, restoring stone walls and upgrading other infrastructure. It was the first major rehabilitation of the northern section of the parkway since it opened in 1962, the Interior Department said.
“This project is a reminder of what can happen when we work together,” Beyer said.
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner agreed, noting the work was made possible through bipartisan support, including the Great American Outdoors Act signed during President Donald Trump’s first term. He also warned more cooperation will be needed as plans move forward to improve the parkway’s southern section.
“Yes, as we start the construction on the southern tier, there may be some inconvenience coming as well, but we will get through it at the end of the day. We’ve got a safer, more preserved parkway, preserving our history, and all of us who use this as a critical artery in the DMV,” Warner said.
Also at the ribbon cutting was Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who said the improvements are part of a broader push to invest in infrastructure.
“We’re choosing beauty over blight, and the George Washington Memorial Parkway then, is more than a road, it’s a gateway, and as such, it tells the story of America,” Burgum said.
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