Project Description

The Arlington Memorial Bridge is a historic structure listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its significant architectural and engineering design as well as its symbolism and place within the Memorial Core of Washington, DC. The bridge, opened to traffic in 1932, was constructed as a memorial to American patriotism and those who have died in military service to the country, as well as a symbolic representation of the reconciliation between the Union and Confederacy following the Civil War by connecting the Lincoln Memorial with Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial. The bridge was designed by the famed architectural firm, McKim, Mead & White, and the innovative bascule span was developed by the Strauss Engineering Corporation to fit a working draw span into the monumental design. The bascule span was last opened over 50 years ago, and it is not anticipated to be reopened in the future. The mechanical equipment and original electrical system is are not operational. Modern electrical lines have been installed and are operational.

The Arlington Memorial Bridge is 2,162 feet long and 94 feet wide. The bridge consists of ten reinforced concrete arch approach spans and a double leaf bascule span at the bridge s center. Eight of the ten approach spans convey the Potomac River under the bridge. Two smaller concrete arches span the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) and Ohio Drive, SW at each end of the bridge. The bridge has sidewalks on each side measuring 13 feet 9 inches each, and the roadway measures 60 feet from curb to curb, providing six 10-foot-wide vehicle travel lanes.

This project includes the design and construction for the rehabilitation of the concrete approach spans, removal and replacement of the concrete deck, replacement of the bascule span at the center of the bridge, concrete repairs to the existing structure, rehabilitation of the bridge substructure, removal and resetting granite curb and railing, repairing and cleaning the bridge s stone masonry and other miscellaneous work.