National Park Service to Resurface George Washington Memorial Parkway and Pedestrian Crossings from Reagan Airport to Alexandria

News Release Date:
April 22, 2026

Contact: [email protected]

MCLEAN, Va. - The National Park Service will start work Thursday, April 23 to begin resurfacing the George Washington Memorial Parkway and replacing pedestrian crossing medians between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and First Street in Alexandria, Virginia.

Crews will remove the top layer of worn asphalt in both directions and pave the road with new asphalt overnight and on weekends. This work will help preserve the parkway, improve driving conditions and extend the life of the roadway. Work is expected to continue through June as weather permits.

Beginning the week of April 27, construction crews will replace the pedestrian crossing medians at the parkway intersections of Bashford Lane and Slaters Lane. Each crossing will be closed for about one week while work is underway. During these closures, pedestrians will need to follow detour routes and the nearby bike lane in the work zone will be closed. Road resurfacing work will also impact pedestrian crossings between North Washington Street and First Street in Alexandria, Virginia. Part of the Columbia Island parking lot near Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac will be used by construction crews as a staging area for the duration of the project.

Parkway traffic pattern for overnight and weekend milling and paving works - Ronald Reagan Airport to First Street, Alexandria, Virginia

• From 7:15 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. and on weekends: Drivers will have one lane open in each direction.

Parkway traffic pattern for daytime pedestrian crossing work - Alexandria, Virginia

• Morning rush hour on weekdays (5:30 to 9:30 a.m.): Drivers will havetwo southbound lanes and one northbound lane.
• Evening rush hour on weekdays (2:45 to 7:15 p.m.): Drivers will havetwo northbound lanes and one southbound lane.

Bicycle and pedestrian traffic impacts

• Bashford Lane: Crews will close two pedestrian crossings at the intersection of the parkway and Bashford Lane. Crews will close one crossing at a time. If your usual crosswalk is closed, follow the posted detour signs and use the crosswalk on the opposite side of Bashford Street. The adjacent bike lane will also be closed while the work is underway.
• Slaters Lane: Crews will close the pedestrian crossing at the intersection of the parkway and Slaters Lane. Pedestrians should follow posted detour signs.
• First Street: During overnight and weekend milling and paving operations on the parkway, one pedestrian crossing from North Washington Street to First Street will be closed. Pedestrians should follow detour signs to use the pedestrian crossing on the opposite side of North Washington Street.

Construction will also require periodic ramp closures entering and exiting the parkway. The National Park Service will share more information about these impacts on our website.

Drivers are encouraged to share the road with bicyclists and use caution in work zones, watch for pedestrians, crews and road debris, and follow posted speed limits. Message boards and construction signs along the parkway will provide updated information.

About the National Park Service. Established in 1916, the National Park Service reserves America's most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov .