Washington, D.C., mayor Muriel Bowser announced plans last week for the design and timeline of a new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, which connects Southwest and Southeast D.C., separated by the Anacostia River. Part of the South Capitol Street Corridor Project—which was initiated in 2012 and is considered to be the largest public infrastructure project in D.C.'s history—the new six-lane bridge will be approximately 100 feet away from the current bridge.
“Today, we are taking a huge step toward improving the District’s infrastructure and building a safer, stronger D.C.,” Mayor Bowser said in a press release. “The Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and the entire South Capitol Street Corridor Project will create jobs for District residents and provide an iconic gateway between Anacostia and Downtown D.C. When completed, this will be a tremendous structure and a fitting memorial for a remarkable American icon.”
Construction of the three-arched bridge is slated to begin this winter—with a projected completion in late 2021—and will be executed in two phases with a budget of $441 million. The first phase of the project will be executed by AECOM as lead designer, with Archer Western Construction and Granite Construction Company. Additional elements include new traffic circles on each riverbank, improved storm and drainage infrastructure, and increased pedestrian and bicycle accessibility. The city attained special permission from the Federal Highway Administration to ensure 51 percent of new jobs related to the project are performed by D.C. residents.
The current four-lane bridge was completed in 1950 and is used by more than 70,000 daily commuters.
