Chain Bridge (Potomac River)
The Chain Bridge is a viaduct which crosses the Potomac River at Little Falls in Washington, D.C. The steel girder bridge carries close to 22,000 cars a day. It connects Washington with affluent sections of Arlington and Fairfax counties in Virginia. On the Washington side, the bridge connects with Canal Road. Left turns onto the Clara Barton Parkway from the Chain Bridge are prohibited, but the reverse is permitted. On the Virginia side, the bridge connects with State Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road), which provides access to the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
Chain Bridge | |
|---|---|
The Chain Bridge viewed from just to the south in Arlington. Washington D.C. is on the distant shore (2016) | |
| Coordinates | 38°55′48″N 77°06′52″W |
| Crosses | Potomac River |
| Locale | Washington, D.C. |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Girder |
| Material | Steel |
| History | |
| Construction end | June 17, 1938 |
| Location | |
The Chain Bridge has three lanes (of which the center is reversible) and can be safely accessed by pedestrians and cyclists. The pedestrian sidewalk provides access to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath via a ramp. The bridge also carries water mains which provides Arlington County with water from the Washington Aqueduct.