George Washington Memorial Parkway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids [[File:|x70px|alt= marker]]
G.W. Parkway
Route information
Maintained by NPS
Length	24.9 mi (40.1 km)
Existed	May 29, 1930 (1930-05-29)–present
Tourist routes	George Washington Memorial Parkway
Restrictions	No commercial vehicles
Southern segment
South end	SR 235 in Mount Vernon, VA
North end	SR 400 in Alexandria, VA
Northern segment
South end	SR 400 in Alexandria, VA
Major junctions	I-395 / US 1 in Arlington, VA SR 27 in Washington, DC I-66 / US 50 in Arlington, VA US 29 in Arlington, VA SR 123 in McLean, VA
North end	I-495 in Langley, VA
Location
States:	Virginia, District of Columbia
Highway system
Numbered highways in Washington, D.C.Virginia Routes Primary • Secondary • History • Turnpikes

The George Washington Memorial Parkway, also known as the G.W. Parkway, is a special road about 25 miles (40 km) long. It follows the south side of the Potomac River in Virginia, starting near Mount Vernon, Virginia and going northwest to McLean, Virginia. The National Park Service (NPS) takes care of it. Most of the parkway is in Virginia. A small part goes through Columbia Island in Washington, D.C., near the Arlington Memorial Bridge.

The parkway has two main parts. These parts are connected by Washington Street (State Route 400) in Alexandria. There's also a related road called the Clara Barton Parkway. This road is on the other side of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland. The George Washington Memorial Parkway is so special that it's called an All-American Road. In Virginia, its official state number is State Route 90005.

Exploring the Parkway

The George Washington Memorial Parkway is divided into two main sections. These sections offer different views and attractions.

Southern Section: Mount Vernon to Alexandria

View north at the south end of the parkway in Mount Vernon

The southern part of the parkway starts in Mount Vernon, Virginia. It begins at a traffic circle where it meets SR 235. Much of this road was built on old railway land. This section is like a highway, but it has some intersections where you stop for cross-traffic.

It goes from Mount Vernon, past Fort Hunt, to South Washington Street in Alexandria. The Mount Vernon Trail runs next to this part of the parkway. It's a popular path for people who like to bike or run.

Along this section, you can see many interesting places. These include Mount Vernon Plantation, Fort Hunt Park, Dyke Marsh, and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

Washington Street in Alexandria is part of the parkway, but the City of Alexandria still takes care of it. In 1929, the city and the government agreed to work together. They wanted to make sure buildings along Washington Street looked nice and fit the parkway's special memorial purpose.

Big trucks are not allowed on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. However, taxis and airport shuttles can use it.

Northern Section: Alexandria to McLean

View south at the north end of the parkway in McLean

The northern part of the parkway begins in North Old Town Alexandria. It ends at Interstate 495 (the Capital Beltway) in Fairfax County. This section follows the Potomac River. It goes through Arlington County.

This part of the parkway is the main way to get to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. You can also use it to reach places like Theodore Roosevelt Island, the LBJ National Grove, and Gravelly Point Park. There are special spots where you can stop to enjoy views of the Georgetown skyline and the Potomac Palisades.

An old cloverleaf interchange near the 14th Street Bridge was built in 1932. It is one of the oldest of its kind in the United States. The Spout Run Parkway connects the George Washington Memorial Parkway to US Route 29. This gives you a way to get to I-66. The part of the parkway north of the airport is part of the National Highway System.

View north along the parkway on Columbia Island in Washington, D.C.

History of the Parkway

The idea for the George Washington Memorial Parkway started a long time ago. People wanted an easy way to visit George Washington's home at Mount Vernon. They saw it as a way to learn about American history.

Early Ideas for a Road

In the late 1800s, people in Alexandria, Virginia, wanted a "national road" to Mount Vernon. They thought it would help local businesses. In 1889, Congress paid for a study. The United States Army Corps of Engineers agreed that a great road was needed. However, a cheaper trolley system built in the 1890s slowed down these plans.

Around 1899, the idea of a road to Mount Vernon came back. Many people who wanted to improve cities and preserve history liked the idea. They imagined a grand road with beautiful buildings and memorials. The Daughters of the American Revolution also supported the project. In 1902, the McMillan Plan suggested a road along the Virginia side of the Potomac River. This plan wanted tree-lined roads and quiet paths for relaxation.

Building the Memorial Highway

The Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) took over the idea in the 1920s. They wanted to show off new road-building technology. They first suggested simple upgrades, but soon planned a more detailed road. This new plan included special plantings, historic stops, and scenic overlooks.

As George Washington's 200th birthday approached in 1932, the BPR pushed their idea even more. They called it a "memorial highway" to honor Washington. They published books, showed models, and even made a film to get public support.

Groups like the American Civic Association said that the existing roads to Mount Vernon were ugly. They had too many billboards and tourist traps. This helped convince Congress that a new, beautiful road was needed. In 1924, a bill was introduced to build a memorial highway. It didn't pass that year.

Another bill was introduced in 1926. The BPR then suggested building the road along the river's edge. This route was flatter and had fewer intersections. It was more expensive, but many groups supported it.

The Mount Vernon Memorial Highway of 1928

Mount Vernon Memorial Highway in 1935

In 1928, bills were introduced to build a memorial highway from Arlington Memorial Bridge to Mount Vernon. It would cost $4.5 million. The Washington Bicentennial Commission would manage the project. President Calvin Coolidge and many other groups supported the idea.

Some people worried about the cost and if a highway was the best way to honor George Washington. Others worried about damage to the environment. But the idea of honoring Washington won out. The House of Representatives voted for the bill on May 22, 1928. President Coolidge signed it into law on May 24. This law was called "An act to authorize and direct the survey, construction, and maintenance of a memorial highway to connect Mount Vernon, in the State of Virginia, with the Arlington Memorial Bridge across the Potomac River at Washington."

Becoming the Current Parkway

The road was first called the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway. But in 1930, Congress changed its name to the George Washington Memorial Parkway. They also decided to extend it to the Great Falls of the Potomac River. This idea came from Representative Cramton.

Congress passed the "Act of May 29, 1930," also known as the Capper-Cramton Act. This law set aside $13.5 million to buy land and build the parkway. It would go from Mount Vernon to the Great Falls on the Virginia side. It also planned for a parkway on the Maryland side and a bridge across the Potomac at Great Falls.

The George Washington Memorial Parkway was built in different parts between 1929 and 1970. The first part, the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, was finished in 1932. It went from Arlington Memorial Bridge to Mount Vernon.

President Herbert Hoover informally opened this section on January 16, 1932. He was the first person to drive on it. This was part of the celebration for Washington's 200th birthday. At first, the road was only open on weekends during the day. It opened for day and night use on May 6, 1932.

The northern parts of the parkway were mostly finished in the 1950s and 1960s. A section from Glebe Road to I-495 was built to help workers get to the new Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Some parts of the parkway were seen as excellent examples of modern road design.

Over time, more areas were added to the parkway system. These include Memorial Drive near Arlington National Cemetery and the LBJ Memorial Grove on Columbia Island.

How the Parkway is Managed

Ramp entrance from the GW Parkway to the scenic overlook to the Potomac River

The parkway was officially created on May 29, 1930. On November 28, 1989, the part of the parkway in Maryland was renamed the Clara Barton Parkway. This was done to avoid confusion with the main parkway in Virginia.

The parkway also manages other important National Park Service sites nearby. These include:

• Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
• Arlington Memorial Bridge & Avenue
• Arlington Ridge Park
• Belle Haven Park & Marina
• Clara Barton National Historic Site
• Clara Barton Parkway
• Claude Moore Colonial Farm
• Collingwood Picnic Area
• Columbia Island Marina
• Daingerfield Island
• Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve
• Fort Hunt Park
• Fort Marcy Park
• Glen Echo Park
• Gravelly Point
• Great Falls Park
• Jones Point Park & Lighthouse
• Lady Bird Johnson Park
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac
• Mount Vernon Trail
• Navy – Merchant Marine Memorial
• Netherlands Carillon
• Potomac Heritage Trail
• Riverside Park
• Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary
• Spout Run Parkway
• Theodore Roosevelt Island
• Turkey Run Park
• U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial)
• Washington Sailing Marina
• Women in Military Service for America Memorial

You can find information and maps at the Parkway headquarters in McLean, Virginia. The US Park Police are the main police agency that patrols the George Washington Parkway and these other areas.

Proposed Connections That Weren't Built

Northern section of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, Arlington, Virginia

The Clara Barton Parkway is managed as part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. It used to have the same name until 1989.

The original plan was to connect the parkways on both sides of the river with a bridge at the Great Falls. But people who wanted to protect the environment stopped this plan. Instead, cars use the American Legion Bridge to cross the river. The Virginia side of the Great Falls is now a national park site called Great Falls Park. Some parts of the planned bridge were built but were never used.

Major Intersections

County	Location	Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
Fairfax	Mount Vernon	0.0	SR 235 to I-95 north – Washington	Traffic circle
	Fort Hunt	2.7	4.3	Fort Hunt Road – Fort Hunt Park
Hunting Creek		8.4	13.5	Bridge; southern terminus of SR 400
City of Alexandria		9.3	15.0	SR 236 west (Duke Street)	Eastern terminus of SR 236, Duke Street continues east
		9.5	15.3	SR 7 west (King Street)	Eastern terminus of SR 7, King Street continues east
		10.2	16.4	First Street / Abingdon Drive	At-grade intersection; northern terminus of SR 400
Four Mile Run		10.1	16.3	Bridge
Arlington	Crystal City	12.5	20.1	Reagan National Airport	No northbound exit; via SR 233
		13.2	21.2	Reagan National Airport	No southbound entrance; via West Entrance Road
	Long Bridge Park	14.3	I-395 (US 1) to I-66 – Richmond, Washington	Exits 10B-C on I-395
District of Columbia	Washington (Columbia Island)		14.7– 15.6	23.7– 25.1	US 50 west / Arlington Memorial Bridge – Arlington Cemetery	US 50 not signed southbound
			15.4	SR 27 to I-395 – LBJ Memorial Grove, Pentagon	No direct northbound exit
Virginia	Arlington	Rosslyn	16.1	25.9	I-66 east (Roosevelt Bridge) / US 50 – Washington, Rosslyn	Southbound exit and northbound entrance to I-66 / US 50 east; no northbound exit to US 50 west
			16.8	27.0	US 29 north (Key Bridge)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		North Highland	17.4	28.0	Spout Run Parkway west to I-66 west / US 29 – Washington	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
	Fairfax	McLean	21.5	34.6	SR 123 (Chain Bridge) – Washington, McLean
			23.0	37.0	George Bush Center for Intelligence, CIA, FHWA
			23.5	37.8	To I-495 – Turkey Run Park, Washington	I-495 not signed northbound; access to I-495 via u-turn
			24.9	40.1	I-495 – Virginia	Exit 43 on I-495
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Image Gallery

Images for kids

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  I-495 Interchange with the North Entrance to the George Washington Memorial Parkway

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  George Washington Memorial Parkway and the Chain Bridge

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  Looking NW at the North and South Bound Lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway

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  North and South Bound Lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway