A dramatic makeover for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists along Route 50 at 10th Street and Courthouse Road in Arlington was made official yesterday as local leaders joined the Virginia Department of Transportation and the County to cut the ribbon on $40 million of capacity, access and safety improvements. The Virginia Department of Transportation teamed with Arlington County to reconstruct the two 1950s-era interchanges, which were tightly spaced by current standards, with short acceleration lanes, poor sight lines and insufficient capacity for current and future traffic. Crews rebuilt the two bridges over Route 50, separated local and turning motorists from through traffic, and made a number of bicycle and pedestrian improvements.

Other improvements include: Signalized intersections providing access from eastbound Route 50 to 10th Street and Courthouse Road, Ramps providing access from westbound Route 50 to 10th Street and Courthouse Road, a signalized “T” intersection providing access from both directions of Fairfax Drive, a bicycle trail added eastbound on Arlington Boulevard from Pershing Drive to Rolfe Street and relocating and extending the westbound trail under the 10th Street bridge.