Va. Residents Back Replacing Bridge

A survey conducted by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce found that a majority of its residents agree that a new bridge is necessary to keep streets free from excessive truck traffic and to protect the quality of life in their neighborhoods in Virginia.

Only 35% of those surveyed were opposed to the construction project, which calls for a 12-lane replacement of the current Woodrow Wilson Bridge that crosses the Potomac River near Washington, D.C. An estimated $1.6 billion is needed to replace the bridge, which links Virginia and Maryland.

The Wilson Bridge was built in 1961 and was designed to carry 70,000 vehicles a day. It now carries 190,000 vehicles every day. Engineers say the bridge is in such bad shape it will be unsafe for trucks in less than six years.

The bridge, nicknamed the East Coast’s Main Street, links the heavily traveled Interstate 95 northeast corridor. It is the only federally owned bridge in the interstate system.