GW Parkway traffic changes: What you need to know for your commute

A new traffic pattern will go into effect on Saturday on the George Washington Memorial Parkway and will last until 2025.

The change will take place between I-495 and Route 123 for the next phase of the North Parkway Rehabilitation Project. Here's how it will affect your commute:

Weekday morning rush hour (5:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.) 

- Two lanes southbound (toward Washington, DC). 

- Drivers who need to exit at Route 123 or CIA Headquarters must use the right lane. 

- One lane northbound (toward Maryland/Virginia). 

Weekday evening rush hour (2:45 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.) 

- Two lanes northbound (toward Maryland/Virginia). 

- Drivers who need to exit at Route 123 or CIA Headquarters must use the right lane. 

- One lane southbound (toward Washington, DC). 

Weekdays (9:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.) and weekends 

- One lane southbound (toward Washington, DC). 

- One lane northbound (toward Maryland/Virginia). 

The NPS expects this three-lane traffic pattern to be in effect through December 2025. Small physical barriers will divide the narrow, 10-foot-wide lanes. 

In the case of heavy rain, the traffic shift will begin on Saturday, April 22.

Bridge work will continue on George Washington Memorial Parkway between the I-495 interchange and Spout Run Parkway.

The Turkey Run Loop Road and parking lots will also be closed for construction work through October 2023. Turkey Run Park and its trails will remain open, however, the only way to access them will be on foot via the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.

The Department of the Interior announced the rehabilitation of the northern section of the George Washington Memorial Parkway in December 2021. The project will improve safety, the driving experience and water drainage. 

The project is anticipated to be completed in late 2025.