Waples Mill Road

The Waples Mill Road Bridge over I-66 is being rebuilt to accommodate the widening of I-66. The new bridge will include a shared-use path and sidewalk, with nearby connection to the new shared-use path being built along I-66. Bridge construction and demolition are being done in phases to keep the bridge open for traffic during this process. New noise walls along I-66 West in the vicinity of Waples Mill Road are also being constructed.

Get a closer look at what’s planned through the Transform 66 Interactive Map.

Waples Mill Road Bridge Demolition, Overnight Lane Closures Planned the Week of Feb. 28-March 5

Demolition of the remaining portion of the old Waples Mill Road Bridge over I-66 will continue during the overnight hours Sunday, February 28, through Thursday, March 4. Overnight lane closures will be required on I-66 East and West to safely conduct the work over travel lanes. The Waples Mill Road Bridge is being rebuilt as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.

What’s Ahead the Week of Feb. 28:

Crews will demolish the old bridge span over I-66 West using jackhammers, saw cutters, and hoe rams, followed by removal of the steel bridge beams.
Work will progress toward demolition of the span over I-66 East. [UPDATE: Bridge deck demolition began the night of March 2.]
For updates on demolition progress, visit transform66.org/WaplesMill.
Demolition of the remaining old Waples Mill Road Bridge over I-66 is anticipated to take approximately 8 – 10 nights of work to complete, depending on weather and other factors.

What Drivers Should Expect:

Sunday, February 28, through Thursday, March 4, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., I-66 East and West will be reduced to one travel lane approaching Waples Mill Road.
Drivers should expect periodic stoppages of up to 20 minutes between midnight and 4 a.m. each night.
All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m.

What Neighbors Can Expect

Noisy construction activities such as bridge demolition and pile driving will be avoided at night, when possible. Noise to expect at night includes back-up alarms on equipment and trucks, which is necessary to protect worker safety
Lighting of the construction work area will be directed to minimize light pollution for nearby residents
Project emails and website will be used to communicate major traffic switches or nighttime work

What Drivers Can Expect

Drivers on Waples Mill Road should expect construction traffic and occasional traffic stoppages as work progresses at the overpass. Sign up for project email updates to keep up to date.

Construction Progress (Updated Feb. 23, 2021)

The new Waples Mill Road Bridge is visible with Route 50 construction in the background. The remaining portion of the old bridge is visible next to the new bridge. (Feb. 12)

The old Waples Mill Road Bridge is visible to the left of the new structure. Demolition is planned to begin in late February 2021. (Feb. 17)

Construction Update (Updated Feb. 25, 2021)

Recent Construction Progress:

Traffic shifted for construction
First phase of bridge demolition complete
First phase of new bridge open to traffic

Upcoming Construction Activities:

Pre-demolition activity on remaining section of old bridge continues
Bridge deck demolition on remaining section of old bridge (anticipated to begin Feb. 27)
Demolish remaining pier from old bridge
Construct remaining section of new bridge

New Noise Wall Near the Waples Mill Road Bridge

The project final noise analysis identified a section of new noise wall that will be built along I-66 West on each side of Waples Mill Road. The approximate location of the new wall is shown in the green/black line below.

Learn more about noise walls and the Transform 66 Project here. Download the final noise analysis report sections covering the area around Waples Mill Road below:

Segment 3A Final Design Noise Analysis – Route 50 to Blake Lane - PDF, 32.5MB
Segment 3A FDNA Technical Memo – Waples Mill Road Area to Jermantown Road Along I-66 West - PDF, 10.9MB

Timeline

Anticipated Schedule	Dates
Construction begins	Fall 2019
First phase of bridge demolition	February 2020
First phase of bridge construction	2020
Second phase of bridge demolition	Feb-March 2021
Bridge construction complete	Late 2021/Early 2022
Noise wall and shared-use path construction	2021-2022
Express lanes open	December 2022

Resources

Waples Mill Bridge Demolition Flyer (Jan. 2020) - PDF, 500KB

Waples Mill Bridge Demolition Flyer (Feb. 2021) - PDF, 1.3MB

About the Project

Waples Mill Road