Contact (Media Only): Erik Linden (202) 671-2004

(Washington, DC)  Michelle L. Pourciau, Acting Director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), today celebrated the completion of the Southern Avenue Bridge at Naylor Road, running over Suitland Parkway. The $8.9 million project began in 2004 and work included replacement of the old Southern Avenue Bridge.

“Today’s celebration is about more than just a bridge,” said Pourciau. “It’s about investing in Ward 8. It’s about the symbolism of a new ‘gateway’ bridge into the District of Columbia — one that we can all be proud of. Work on this bridge began in 2004. Today, two years later, we have a new bridge that includes significant streetlight upgrades with a modern design and new landscaping being installed around the bridge in the coming weeks.”

Partners on the bridge who attended today’s event included the Federal Highway Administration, Eastern Federal Lands, and Councilmember Marion Barry (Ward 8). Other partners included the National Park Service, the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission and staff at the District Department of Transportation.

The project was a joint project combining the efforts of DDOT, Eastern Federal Lands and the Federal Highway Administration. The original bridge structure was a steel girder with lead based paint.  During the design and planning phase, it was determined that it would be simpler to remove the structure from site rather than to provide containment for lead base paint removal, and perform repairs to the old steel structure; which would have been cost prohibitive.

DDOT replaced the previous Southern Avenue Bridge with an updated, state-of-the-art, aesthetically pleasing structure that showcases new tear drop streetlight fixtures, sidewalk, streetscape and landscaping as well as an improved bridge approach. The designer on the project was Wilbur, Smith and Associates and the contractor was Shirley Contracting.