WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — A local historic roadway will begin having closures imposed soon as the first major "holistic" rehabilitation project since its full length opened to traffic in 1957 will begin on August 14 on the Colonial Parkway, which runs from Yorktown, through Williamsburg, to Jamestown.
According to information provided by the National Park Service, which has jurisdiction over the Parkway, the first phase of construction will include the 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 the replacement of the bridge deck over Route 17.
Additionally, they say 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 the replacement of the exposed aggregate concrete roadway slabs.
The entire project, which will take about three years to complete, includes the rehabilitation of about 10 miles of parkway, as well as 11 bridges, including the replacement of two bridge decks. It also involves repairs to the Williamsburg Tunnel and rehabilitation of the stormwater drainage systems. Their plan is for the project to be complete by June 30, 2026, just in time to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026.
The rehabilitation project will cost around $123 million and is being funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund.