WASHINGTON — If you drive George Washington Memorial Parkway regularly, you've seen that parts of the road are seriously deteriorating.
This past fall crews were forced to close park of the parkway when a huge sinkhole appeared. There have been short-term repairs but now the National Park Service wants to find a more permanent solution.
A spokesperson for the National Park Service said their goal is to completely rehabilitate the road.
One way they are looking to do that is by applying for a federal grant through the Department of Transportation. If awarded, the program would rebuild a section of the parkway which runs from Spout Run to Interstate 495.
The proposal would also include the area near Dead Run Creek where a massive sinkhole forced crews to close part of the roadway for months.
The work would include repaving the roads, replacing guardrails and fixing drainage to prevent further erosion. The proposal also includes making minor upgrades to the historic scenic overlooks along this stretch of road. There are also hopes to make safety improvements, including adding roadside barriers or possibly reconfiguring the interchange at Route 123.
NPS is currently in the process of submitting a grant to the Department of Transportation, who will then make a decision on who wins the grant money.
The stretch of road has been studed by NPS for years.
The Park Service has also been working on a separate project with the Federal Highway Administration repaving the roads within five national parks throughout the D.C. area.
The completed work includes a repaving a portion of the same stretch of GW Parkway between Spout Run Parkway and the Capital Beltway.
