VPRA Receives RAISE Grant for Long Bridge Pedestrian Crossing Project

NEWS RELEASE
August 11, 2022

Will fund bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Potomac River
RICHMOND — The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) has been awarded a grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in support of its Long Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Crossing Project. The $20 million grant comes from the USDOT’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Program.

The Long Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Crossing Project is a new, dedicated bicycle and pedestrian bridge that will span the Potomac River between Washington, DC and Arlington, Va. The bridge will connect Long Bridge Park and the Mount Vernon Trail in Arlington to the East and West Potomac Parks in Washington, DC. It will provide a substantially wider connection across the Potomac River for non-motorized traffic.

“VPRA’s Long Bridge project is designed to not only relieve congestion along the rail corridor across the Potomac, but to also provide an additional route for pedestrians and bicyclists to travel across the river that is also safe, direct, and a more pleasant experience,” said Michael McLaughlin, Chief Operating Officer of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. “This RAISE grant will further our efforts to make that a reality.”

The new bridge will be built as a part of VPRA’s larger Long Bridge Project, a $2 billion rail project designed to eliminate the bottleneck currently facing rail traffic crossing the Potomac. The Long Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Crossing Project will consist of a 2,300-foot long structure dedicated to walking and bicycling across the Potomac. It will cross the Potomac between the existing Long Bridge and the WMATA Metrorail Yellow Line bridge. The project’s current estimated cost is $88 million.

About Virginia Passenger Rail Authority

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority was established in 2020 to promote, sustain, and expand the availability of passenger and commuter rail service in the Commonwealth. VPRA is committed to delivering passenger rail service as an integrated, affordable, and convenient travel option and plays a critical role in mitigating current and future traffic congestion on Virginia’s highways, promoting economic development, and connecting communities by increasing passenger rail capacity, services, and ridership.

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