National Park Service to build new ramps on George Washington Memorial Parkway

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) — Commuters who use the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) may face detours for a few weeks as crews work to demolish and build ramps along the interchange.

The National Park Service (NPS) said the North Parkway Rehabilitation Project will close the ramp from southbound GWMP to westbound Route 123 and vice versa.

Weather permitting, these closures are slated to last from Aug. 11 through mid-September.

Crews will demolish the two existing ramps and construct two new ramps to improve safety and access between Route 123 and southbound GWMP. The acceleration and deceleration lanes will also be extended to provide a safer merging experience onto and exiting the parkway.

Starting Aug. 11, the following detours will be in place:

• Southbound GWMP to westbound Route 123: Motorists should continue southbound on GWMP to eastbound Route 123 and make a U-turn to access westbound Route 123.
• Westbound Route 123 to southbound GWMP: Motorists should continue westbound on Route 123, make a U-turn at Merchant Lane, and proceed to southbound GWMP.

Once reopened in September, the new traffic configuration will realign the entrances to the southbound lanes.

This will cause the new GWMP and Route 123 intersection to be east of Pine Tree Road. All traffic along the route heading southbound will use the new ramp.

NPS noted that the new ramp will allow right turns from the parkway onto westbound Route 123. A stop sign will also be placed on the route for motorists exiting the parkway until the planned traffic signal is operational.

The north and eastbound exit ramps, as well as westbound Route 123, will remain as they are now.

Changes coming to the George Washington Memorial Parkway and Route 123:

Top: Motorists should continue southbound on GWMP to eastbound Route 123 and make a U-turn to access westbound Route 123.

Middle: Motorists should continue westbound on Route 123 and make a U-turn at Merchant Lane to access southbound GWMP. 

Bottom: Two new ramps will provide access from southbound GWMP to westbound Route 123 and from eastbound Route 123 to Southbound GWMP.
(Courtesy of the National Park Service)