From Policy to Project Site: Hill Staff See Major Bridge Construction Firsthand

What happened: ARTBA members gave congressional staff an up-close look at two major bridge projects in the Washington, D.C., metro area during an Oct. 4 Potomac River boat tour. Participants viewed rehabilitation of the 62-year-old Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and construction of the new Long Bridge commuter rail crossing, both critical links between the District and Virginia.

About 90 percent of the Roosevelt Bridge’s $127.6 million rehabilitation is federally funded, while roughly one-fourth of the Long Bridge Project’s $2.3 billion comes from federal investment, including a $20 million RAISE Grant and a $729 million Federal Railroad Administration Grant.

Why it matters: The tour gave Capitol Hill staff firsthand insight into the engineering challenges, construction innovations, and public benefits associated with major infrastructure investments.

What stood out: HNTB’s Jon Whitney said crews are working nearly around the clock while keeping traffic open on the Roosevelt Bridge. The project includes installation of 999 precast deck panels fabricated in Virginia and placed overnight to minimize disruptions. A massive canopy beneath the bridge prevents debris from falling into the Potomac as workers remove deteriorated materials, strengthen steel, and apply protective coatings.

On the Long Bridge Project, Wagman Heavy Civil, Inc.’s Bryan Smith described an exceptionally constrained work environment, with active transportation corridors, limited staging space, and aircraft flying roughly 400 feet overhead on approach to Ronald Reagan National Airport. To address those challenges, crews are using barges, folding cranes, and floating platforms to build much of the bridge from the river. Steel superstructure sections assembled off-site will be floated upriver and jacked into place.

What’s next: ARTBA thanks Wagman Heavy Civil, Inc., VHB, HNTB, Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, Metropolitan Washington Road & Transportation Builders Association, Long Bridge Rail Partners, Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, and the District Department of Transportation for supporting and participating in the event.