*Please do not intervene in the construction process or disturb construction personnel.*
**A portion of VA-244 Columbia Pike—between South Joyce Street and the VDOT facility located immediately east of South Oak Street is closed. Due to this road closure, the main entrance to the Air Force Memorial off Columbia Pike is not accessible. During the duration of the closure, a temporary access road will be available off Southgate Road, between South Oak Street and South Joyce Street. The Memorial will remain open to the public during its regular hours.** Click here for more information.
-On or around April 17, 2023, several traffic pattern changes and detours will take place on the roads surrounding the construction supporting Arlington National Cemetery’s Southern Expansion project. Click here for more information.***
*On or about May 31, 2023, there will be several traffic pattern changes and detours that will take place on the roads surrounding the construction supporting Arlington National Cemetery's Southern Expansion project. See image below The public can expect to see the following changes:
1.The southbound ramp on Washington Boulevard that connects drivers to westbound Columbia Pike will reopen.
2. The southbound ramp on Washington Boulevard that connects drivers to eastbound Pentagon South Parking will be closed. Instead, eastbound Pentagon South Parking driver will be detoured to use the westbound Columbia Pike exit and turn left at the modified intersection with the new temporary traffic signal.
3. Westbound Columbia Pike from South Pentagon Parking to the new temporary traffic signal will be reduced to one lane. Eastbound Columbia Pike from the new temporary traffic signal to Pentagon South Parking will be reduced to one lane and traffic will be shifted to one of the former westbound lanes.
4.These detours are expected to last until at least December 31, 2023.
The Memorial will remain open to the public during its regular hours.
Construction on the combined projects, the congressionally mandated expansion of Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) and the Defense Access Road (DAR) Project Realignment of Columbia Pike, has begun. The DAR project is in progress and construction for ANC’s Southern Expansion project is slated to begin in 2023. Both projects will impact the Air Force Memorial (AFM).
When completed, the ANC Southern Expansion Project will provide for approximately 60,000 additional burial sites, and expand ANC by 70 acres. The AFM will be the anchor point of the ANC Southern Expansion and the ANC boundary will encompass the area including the AFM.
At this time, the AFM is open to pedestrians 24/7, and is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to vehicular traffic, however parking is limited. Visitation and parking at the AFM will be impacted during construction. Updates to impacts at the AFM will be posted above. On a case-by-case basis, events normally held at the AFM will be evaluated and will remain at the AFM or may be recommended to move to other locations.
Being included in the ANC, a hallowed place for all service members, provides the opportunity for ANC and AFM to share in honoring those who’ve gone before us, and the surrounding cemetery environment will amplify the already peaceful and serene environment at the AFM. Most current AFM operations will continue once the ANC Southern Expansion is complete (estimated in March 2027), and the public will be informed of any changes as we draw near to that date.
To view a visual of construction updates click here: construction updates June 2022
Below is a visual representation of traffic pattern changes and detours that will take place on or around May 31, 2023, on the roads surrounding the construction supporting Arlington National Cemetery’s Southern Expansion project. Click here for a larger image.
For more information on Arlington National Cemetery’s Southern Expansion project, click here:
https://www.nao.usace.army.mil/Missions/Military-Construction/ANCSouthernExpansion/