While the National Park Service has approved a plan for rehabilitating the Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C., it is far short of the $250 million estimated to complete the necessary work/NPS

Planning for rehabilitation of the crumbling Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C., has been completed by the National Park Service, though the agency is far short of the $250 million estimated to pay for the work.

The Federal Highway Administration has told the Park Service that, due to the bridge's deterioriating condition, the span will be closed to traffic in 2021 without a full rehabilitation. For the Park Service, this project is one of the largest that it has ever tackled. With planning for that effort completed, the agency now is moving into the design and implementation phase.

The selected plan aims to preserve the character and defining features of the bridge by replacing and refurbishing the original bridge components. It calls for the repair of the concrete arches and stone facades on the 10 approach spans, the replacement of the bascule span’s steel superstructure, the reconstruction of the bridge deck and sidewalks, and the resurfacing of all travel lanes.

The Park Service was recently awarded a Fiscal Year 2016 $90 million matching grant through the Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) grant program to contribute towards the $250 million estimated cost of a full rehabilitation. The agency has also committed $50 million of its Federal Lands Transportation Program funding to this project. In December 2016, the NPS and the District of Columbia submitted an application for an additional $60 million grant through the Fiscal Year 2017 FASTLANE program.

The Park Service is actively working to secure the remaining funding needed to complete the bridge rehabilitation project in an expeditious manner as possible. At the recommendation of FHWA bridge engineers, the 10-ton load limit on Arlington Memorial Bridge will remain in effect until a full rehabilitation is complete.