Colonial Parkway, connects Historic Jamestown to Yorktown Battlefield, is scheduled to be rehabilitated/ NPS file

The Colonial Parkway that runs through Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia will be rehabilitated thanks to a $122.8 million infusion from the Great American Outdoors Act.

The project  will repair and extend the life of approximately 10.3 miles of the parkway, including all associated structures and components in the affected sections.

Originally designed in the 1930s and completed in 1957, Colonial Parkway  is  a 23-mile scenic roadway that embodies the characteristics of a modern parkway. The use of curving alignments, limited access, and designed plantings provide a pleasurable driving experience between Yorktown Battlefield in Yorktown, Virginia, and Historic Jamestown Island, along James River, according to the National Park Service. The parkway links Virginia's historic triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown and is used by millions of travelers annually to access and enjoy the area’s natural and cultural beauty.

The project will replace much of the road surface, replicating the exposed aggregate concrete surface that is reminiscent of dirt roads of a bygone era, and rehabilitate 11 bridges and the Williamsburg Tunnel. Funding will also go towards repairing, rebuilding, or up-sizing of culverts, headwalls, and stormwater management structures as needed. In order to meet modern safety standards, this project will recontour and stabilize shoulders and replace steel-backed timber guardrails and traffic signs.

“The project eliminates  hazards  that impact the visitor’s ability to enjoy Colonial Parkway,” said Colonial Superintendent Jerri Marr.  “It will allow us to resurface the parkway, rehabilitate aging bridges, increase storm resiliency, and improve safety and the visitor experience along the most-traveled portions of Colonial Parkway.” 

The contract was awarded to a local contractor Wagman-JMT Design-Build. The project will reduce the park’s deferred maintenance and repair needs associated with these facilities by $97.6 million.

After the project design is finalized, construction is expected to start later this year. The work will require closure of segments of the parkway, with well-marked detours. Specific closure alerts will be available on the park  website. Closures will occur at existing interchanges, with the length of the closure dependent on the amount and complexity of the required work. Some section closures could last from several weeks to several months during the project, which is anticipated to take about three years once construction begins. Work is slated to be completed in time for local commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, in 2026.