The Theodore Roosevelt Bridge is on track for a lot of upgrades, many intended to make it more pedestrian-friendly.
Doubling the width of the sidewalks on the bridge from 5 feet to 10 feet was one of the recommendations in a D.C. Department of Transportation report.
The plan also calls for improvements to the traffic barriers between the sidewalk and roadway, as the existing ones don’t meet current safety guidelines.
The bridge, which connects Arlington, Virginia, to D.C., will get upgraded overhead lights as needed.
Other work planned includes replacement and overlay of the bridge deck, replacement of existing joists, and multiple steel and concrete repairs.
The bridge will be repainted to its original color of white, which planners believe will create a cohesive aesthetic between the monuments and the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
The National Capital Planning Commission approved the preliminary plan, which is expected to cost about $150 million.
Construction is expected to begin at the end of 2023 or early 2024 and will take a few years.
DDOT has prepared a maintenance of traffic plan to try and keep things moving during the construction, but says there will be periodic lane closures, smaller lanes and slower speed zones, which will mean traffic delays.
