Photo by wolfkann.

In comforting bridge corrosion news, the National Park Service closed parts of the Arlington Memorial Bridge this morning until emergency repairs can be completed.

Both curbside lanes and 4 feet of the adjoining sidewalks across the drawbridge are closed to all traffic, at the recommendation of Federal Highway Administration. They have also implemented a 10-ton load limit for the rest of the bridge, effectively eliminating most buses from traveling across the span.

Amid years of dire warnings about the state of D.C.’s infrastructure—14 bridges are structurally deficient and 164, or 65 percent, are classified as functionally obsolete by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association—things are catching up to us. And the Arlington Memorial Bridge, which is crossed more than 60,000 times a day, is at the top of ARTBA’s list of the most-traveled structurally deficient bridges in D.C.

Built in 1932, the 2,100-foot-long span is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is also falling apart.

During an annual inspection Federal Highway Administration engineers found that some secondary load-bearing support beams are corroding faster than they expected—and no longer meet load-bearing standards, NPS said in a release. They also discovered “significant deterioration of the concrete deck.”

So they moved up “temporary repairs” that were originally scheduled for September (the National Park Service has been seeking support for a much larger $250 million rehabilitation since 2012, but nothing has been finalized). The work will include strengthening and repairing parts of the sidewalk, adding new support beams, and resurfacing the roadway.

“With the precautionary measures in place, Arlington Memorial Bridge is safe to travel within the open lanes, sidewalks and posted load limits,” Alexcy Romero, George Washington Memorial Parkway superintendent, said in a statement.

The work is expected to start in July and will last between six and nine months. Happy driving.