Weather permitting, Interstate-66 westbound at the Dulles Connector Road (Route 267) will be closed overnight tonight, Thursday, Nov. 18, between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. because of Dulles Metrorail construction, according to Metro officials. When I-66 westbound lanes close, thru traffic will be detoured on to the Dulles Connector Road westbound, to Route 123 south toward Tysons Corner, to a right turn to the ramp to the Capital Beltway south toward Richmond. Drivers can then rejoin I-66 from the Beltway.

For local traffic, drivers have options to exit I-66 prior to the closing. This work was planned for last week, but was delayed due to weather. Drivers bound for destinations along I-66 west of Arlington will be affected. Please note that the overhead clearance when the road is open is 15 feet. The closure is necessary to allow Dulles Rail construction crews to continue building the large concrete structures that will straddle over the road between piers. These “straddle bents,” as they are called, will support the new rail line near where it will merge into Metro’s existing Orange Line. The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project is a 23-mile extension of Metro’s existing Orange Line.

The project is managed and owned by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. The design-build construction contractor is Dulles Transit Partners.