Sheet piling was driven first, then the earth was excavated out of the area where the new depressed roadways would go, then concrete retaining walls were built just inboard of the sheet piling, then earth was backfilled between the retaining walls and existing ground outboard of the retaining walls. Once the excavation was complete down to the level of the new roadways, the two railroad tracks were temporarily relocated, one onto each new roadway grade, so that the depressed railroad grade could be lowered four more feet so that the railroad line could carry high-profile railroad cars. Temporary roadways and bridges were constructed for the streets that pass over the railroad, then the old bridges were demolished, and then new bridges that pass over the highway and railroad were built along the original street alignments. Then the railroad tracks were moved back to their original alignment, in a small trench with retaining walls, which is four feet lower than the highway roadways. Finally, the highway roadways were completed with the addition of subbase, continuously reinforced Portland cement concrete pavement, and hot-mix asphalt emergency shoulders.
Direct quotes are in blue text.
The ceremonies took place at the north end of the highway's bridge over the Acca Yards of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad. The speeches were brief. After he spoke, he and Pamela Brooks, Miss Highway, cut the red ribbon that officially opened the road to traffic. Then the motorcade proceeded slowly southward. Governor Mills E. Godwin, Jr., and Pamela Brooks, Miss Highway, do the ribbon cutting at the dedication of Richmond's I-195 Beltline Expressway.