WASHINGTON — Safety restrictions begin Monday on the Arlington Memorial Bridge, limiting the amount of weight vehicles can carry.
The National Park Service announced the 10-ton load limit , but it hasn’t been enforced until now. The restrictions will be in place indefinitely, causing headaches for the dozens of tour buses that cross the bridge each day on their way to Arlington National Cemetery.
The curbside lanes and four feet of the adjoining sidewalks across the drawbridge span of bridge have been closed, and they will remain cordoned off for several months.
During an inspection of the bridge, the Federal Highway Administration found secondary load-bearing support beams that no longer met standards.
Scans also found that the concrete deck had significant deterioration.
Repairs originally slotted for September 2015聽are being moved up to July. The updates will add new support beams, resurface the roadway and strengthen the sidewalk.
