Skanska has won a contract from Washington, DC’s District Department of Transportation (DDOT), in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration, to carry out a major rehabilitation project on the I-395 Northbound Bridge over the Potomac River.
The design-build contract is valued at $114m and will cover work on the bridge that connects Arlington, Virginia, to Washington, DC.
The Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge, commonly known as the I-395 Northbound Bridge, was constructed in 1950.
It spans 0.46 miles with four lanes and carries an estimated 90,000 vehicles each day, making it a key thoroughfare for private and freight traffic between Virginia and Washington, DC.
The forthcoming improvements are intended to extend the bridge’s operational lifespan by a further 75 years.
Under the contract, Skanska will replace the vessel protection system on the bascule piers and upgrade the bridge barrier to meet Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) collision standards.
The company will also oversee the rehabilitation of the approach spans, including both superstructure and substructure maintenance.
Additional works will involve replacing secondary components removed during construction, such as overhead sign structures, lighting equipment and the bridge drainage system.
A major part of the project involves converting the existing 53m double-leaf bascule span into a fixed-span bridge.
Skanska will employ accelerated bridge construction techniques during a 56-hour weekend shutdown to limit impacts on traffic flows.
Skanska USA senior vice-president and general manager Brook Brookshire said: “We are honoured to be selected by DDOT to deliver an upgraded and improved I-395 Northbound Bridge, a critical investment in the Capital Region's infrastructure and mobility.
“The bridge’s new fixed span structure will help to eliminate traffic bottlenecks, creating a streamlined travel experience with added safety and signage components.”
The construction is expected to start in early 2027. AECOM and Genesis Structures have also been named as part of the project team.
Completion of the rehabilitation is targeted for the third quarter of 2029.
The agreement will be reflected in Skanska’s US order bookings for the third quarter of 2026.
The project adds to Skanska USA Civil’s portfolio of infrastructure contracts in the region, which includes the Long Bridge North rail link and the bridge project delivered for the Maryland Transportation Authority in 2022.
In August, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority awarded a $2.43bn contract to a joint venture comprising Skanska and Stacy Witbeck for the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project in Van Nuys, California.
