ARLINGTON, Va. – Motorists who rely on the Arlington Memorial Bridge to make their way between Virginia and the District of Columbia can expect intermittent closures starting next month.

The National Park Service announced Thursday that all six lanes and both sidewalks of the bridge spanning the Potomac River will be closed from 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15 through 5 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 17.

Boaters will also be directed away from the water under the bridge’s central span.

The closure is needed to make repairs on the 85-year-old bridge, which connects the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The bridge is meant to symbolize a reunification of the North and South.

The park service says commuters should also expect lane closures beginning in mid-October and throughout the next two years.

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