WASHINGTON — Commuters in Great Falls, Virginia — who travel over Piney Run from Walker Road, or Colvin Run Road in Fairfax County — often hit backups because vehicles in both directions share the bridge.

The Virginia Department of Transportation wants to replace the bridge with a newer one with two lanes, one in each direction.

“The biggest thing is that we will no longer have the stops for commuters to take turns,” says Gary Runco, structure and bridge engineer at VDOT. “By having a wider two-lane bridge, we can keep traffic moving. It should help people get home a little earlier or get to work a little earlier in the morning.”

The project will cost $4.7 million and the new bridge could be open before the end of 2017.