Temporary closures in August

DULLES CORRIDOR METRORAIL PROJECTIntermittent Closures of W&OD Trail Expected Early August as Rail Bridge Construction AcceleratesThe section of the Washington and Old Dominion Trail beneath the Dulles International Airport Access Highway and the Dulles Toll Road near Reston will be closed for short periods during several weeks in August.The closings are necessary because Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project construction crews will be ramping up work on the new bridge that will carry the rail tracks, which will run in the median of the airport and toll roads, over the trail. Crews have been working on the bridge for several months and trail users have encountered some detours.During the first week of August, crews will start site preparations for hanging and placing large steel girders on the ridge over the trail. The girder placements are currently scheduled to begin on or about Tuesday, Aug. 10.The steel girder erection work will be done during daytime hours because there are overhead power lines at this work site that would be difficult for workers to see at night.The trail will only close temporarily when the steel girders are lifted and installed. Closures are executed to last approximately 15 minutes or less for each girder.The affected section is located between Wiehle Avenue and Hunter Mill Road, where it crosses under the Dulles International Airport Access Highway (DIAAH) near the trail's mile marker 16. Because the future Metrorail line will run down the median of the DIAAH, this bridge is being built to support the tracks over the W&OD Trail.After the erection work is completed, crews will be building the bridge itself. Most of that work will be done at night and will require full closures of the trail. A schedule will be released later this fall and the work is expected to be completed before Thanksgiving.