Filed Under Transportation

Theodore Roosevelt Bridge

The plan to construct a new bridge across the Potomac River was proposed in the early 1950s.

The Roosevelt Bridge carries Interstate 66/U.S. Route 50 traffic over Theodore Roosevelt Island and the Potomac River, linking Washington D.C., and Virginia. The Roosevelt Bridge has Interstate 66/U.S. Route 50 traffic over Theodore Roosevelt Island and the Potomac River, connecting Washington, D.C., and Virginia.

The Roosevelt Bridge connects Washington D.C. and Virginia, carrying Interstate 66/U.S. Route 50 traffic over Theodore Roosevelt Island and the Potomac River. The idea for a new bridge across the Potomac River was introduced in the early 1950s.

The bridge was named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States. There was a debate about where the bridge would land on the Virginia side of the river. While several locations for the crossing were considered, the final decision was made to anchor the bridge south of Little Island. The United States Commission of Fine Arts approved the steel bridge design in December 1955.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge on June 4, 1958. Construction began in 1960, and the bridge officially opened on June 23, 1964.

Images

Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
Theodore Roosevelt Bridge D.C. Approach to Roosevelt Bridge, Aerial view 1960 Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ddotphotos/4859644537/in/photostream/ Creator: DDOT DC
Under Construction
Under Construction Roosevelt Bridge under construction circa 1960s Source: Library of Congress
Under the Bridge
Under the Bridge A view of Rosslyn Virginia from under the Roosevelt Bridge. Source: National Park Service
Bridge Spans
Bridge Spans A high level view of the TR Bridge showing its connecting spans from the Virginia side. Source: National Capital Planning Commission
Map
Map Map showing how the TR bridge crosses the Potomac River Source: National Capital Planning Commission

Location

Metadata

Arlington Historical, “Theodore Roosevelt Bridge,” Arlington Historical, accessed September 16, 2024, https://arlingtonhistorical.com/items/show/46.