An update from the National Park Service:
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Construction activities for the rehabilitation of the Colonial Parkway will begin on Monday, August 14, 2023. The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund will provide approximately $123 million for the first major, holistic rehabilitation project for the parkway since its full length opened to traffic in 1957. The project was awarded to the Wagman/JMT Design Build Team in March 2023.
The first phase of construction will include closure of the parkway from Ballard Street in Yorktown to Fusiliers Road, which will remain open. The Route 17 access ramps will be closed. Work in this area will also include replacement of the bridge deck over Route 17.
Additionally, the parkway will be closed from Route 199 (south of the Williamsburg Tunnel) to and including the tunnel. The North England Street access ramp will remain open to local traffic and Colonial Williamsburg buses through Spring 2024. Work in this area will include replacement of the exposed aggregate concrete roadway slabs.
“We appreciate motorists' awareness and patience as this first phase of this incredibly important infrastructure project begins,” said
Superintendent Jerri Marr. “We encourage all visitors to stay safe. Please pay attention to the information provided on the electronic variable message signs, detour signs and caution signs. For everyone’s safety, motorists should be on the lookout for construction workers, vehicles, equipment, and any traffic stoppages or lane closures along the parkway.”
The entire project includes the rehabilitation of approximately 10 miles of parkway and 11 bridges, including the replacement of two bridge decks, repairs to the Williamsburg Tunnel, and rehabilitation of the stormwater drainage systems. Construction will last three years and be complete by June 30, 2026, just in time to celebrate the nation’s 250
th birthday in 2026.
Details about the project, work activities, closures, and detour routes can be found on the project website:
https://www.nps.gov/colo/planyourvisit/colo-parkway-rehab.htm.
About Colonial National Historical Park: Colonial National Historical Park comprises two areas. Jamestown is where the English established their first colony in North America in 1607. Yorktown is where American and French troops defeated the British in the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War on October 19, 1781. Learn more at
www.nps.gov/colo.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 425 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at
www.nps.gov and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Contact: Matt Henderson, 757-898-2430