GW Parkway paving project begins Thursday between Reagan National and Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, Va - The National Park Service will begin resurfacing the George Washington Memorial Parkway on Thursday, launching a project that will reshape commutes and crosswalks between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and First Street in Alexandria through June.

Crews will mill off the top layer of worn asphalt in both directions and lay down new pavement overnight and on weekends, weather permitting, according to a news release from the park service. The work is intended to preserve the parkway, improve driving conditions, and extend the roadway's life.

Drivers should expect a single lane in each direction from 7:15 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. and throughout the weekend while milling and paving are underway.

Starting the week of April 27, crews will replace pedestrian crossing medians at the parkway's intersections with Bashford Lane and Slaters Lane. Each crossing will be closed for about a week.

At Bashford Lane, two crosswalks will shut down one at a time, with detour signs directing pedestrians to the crosswalk on the opposite side of the street. The adjacent bike lane will also be closed while that work is underway. At Slaters Lane, the pedestrian crossing will close entirely, and pedestrians will be routed to posted detours.

Daytime crossing work will bring shifted lane configurations during rush hour. From 5:30 to 9:30 a.m. on weekdays, two southbound lanes and one northbound lane will be open. From 2:45 to 7:15 p.m., two northbound lanes and one southbound lane will be open.

Resurfacing will also affect pedestrian crossings between North Washington Street and First Street. During overnight and weekend paving, one crosswalk from North Washington Street to First Street will be closed, and pedestrians should follow detour signs to the crossing on the opposite side of North Washington Street.

Construction crews will stage equipment and materials at part of the Columbia Island parking lot near Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac for the duration of the project.

The park service said drivers also should expect periodic ramp closures entering and exiting the parkway and will post additional information on its website. Motorists are being asked to share the road with cyclists, watch for workers, pedestrians and debris, and follow posted speed limits. Message boards along the parkway will carry updates.