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D.C. Unveils $660 Million Proposal To Replace Frederick Douglass Bridge

By: Sharon Rae // January 1, 2013
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A boat sails under the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge on the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. Officials say construction costs to rebuild the aging bridge will exceed $650 million.
Adam Fagen: http://www.flickr.com/photos/afagen/6915787825/
A boat sails under the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge on the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. Officials say construction costs to rebuild the aging bridge will exceed $650 million.

D.C. transportation leaders are rolling out plans to replace the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, known to many as the South Capitol Street Bridge.

City officials say the aging bridge may need to be closed unless it's replaced within five to 15 years. Replacing the bridge is expected to cost $660 million.

Sitting in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol, the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge carries South Capitol Street over the Anacostia River. Built in 1950, it helps take commuters from Prince George's County, Md., and southern Maryland into downtown Washington. It also provides access to Nationals Park.

Mayor Vincent Gray says a new bridge would be more cost-effective in the long run than continuing to repair the old one.

According to Gray, a new structure is key for the revitalization of the Anacostia waterfront. The city has completed an environmental impact study and started acquiring land for the new bridge.

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