The new span fully opened to traffic on the morning of Thursday, October 13—three months ahead of schedule—and will deliver a wider, safer, and better bridge across the Potomac River between Charles County, MD, and King George County, VA.
The new four-lane Nice/Middleton Bridge replaces the existing two-lane, undivided span, which had 11-foot-wide lanes and no shoulders with 12-foot-wide lanes, a center median, 2-foot shoulders, and a 42-inch-high concrete median barrier that will protect more motorists against head-on collisions.
The new bridge doubles capacity, improves safety and enhances emergency response and maintenance/inspection activities. The new bridge design also includes more than $2 million in features to accommodate lane sharing for bicyclists, who will be able to use the bridge in early 2023. The 135-foot clearance of the new bridge accommodates tall vessels.