Congressman Jim Moran (D-Va.) announced today that the effort to modernize the 14th Street Bridge has received a $2.7 million boost in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funding was the result of an earmark Moran included in the FY’08 Transportation Appropriations Bill.

“The 14th Street Bridge is the major artery linking Northern Virginia with the District,” Moran said. “This modernization project is an effort to improve traffic flow so that commuters spend less time in the car and more at home, work and play.”  

Since the project began in 2001, Moran has earmarked over $37 million for the modernization effort.

The 14th Street bridge modernization project includes a series of improvements to the 14th Street corridor. These include construction of merge lanes at the intersection with the George Washington Parkway and better traffic light signalization at the intersection of C Street and Independence Avenue SW.

The project also includes is a full environmental impact study to find long-term solutions to traffic issues along this corridorincluding the construction of additional lane capacity on I-395 and possible HOV lanes into the District.