The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved an agreement between Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia to rebuild and expand the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge spanning the Potomac River.

"This project represents a major milestone in our ongoing attack on highway congestion," said Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. "The Wilson Bridge is not only a vital interstate link for the Capital Region, but its efficiency has an impact on highway traffic up and down the entire East Coast Corridor."
The Wilson Bridge is currently owned by the federal government and after several years of debate, Congress provided $1.586 billion in federal funds to rebuild the bridge with the understanding that Virginia and Maryland would have to agree to own and maintain the bridge.
After many delays, the states have agreed to a joint ownership and maintenance plan, and to provide all additional funding to support the total bridge project, which is expected to cost $2.4 billion. The bridge project is expected to be completed by 2011.