Letter
Dear Mr. Gerner:
During its meeting of 20 March, the Commission reviewed the proposal to add a noise suppression wall to the new Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge. The transparent noise wall would extend eastward from the Virginia abutment approximately 1550 feet on top of the north side vehicle barrier between the roadway and pedestrian walkway. While the members questioned the basic effectiveness of such a device on an elevated roadway, they requested that, if used, the wall be configured so that the vertical supports aline with the supports of the outer railing of the pedestrian walkway. fu addition, it was suggested that the horizontal supports of the wall panels be painted a lighter color than that the vertical supports so as to de-emphasize the run of the long horizontal line in the middle of the wall.
With these recommendations the proposal was approved. If there are subsequent changes to the project, they should be presented to the Commission for review.
Sincerely,
/s/Harry G. Robinson III
Harry G. Robinson III, FAIA
Chairman
John A. Gerner
Project Manager
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Woodrow Wilson Bridge Center
1800 Duke Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
cc: Robert Healy, Maryland State Highway Administration Thomas Mohler, Potomac Crossing Consultants