Lane Closures at Reagan National
Drivers heading for the airport from the GW Parkway are likely to encounter some new delays starting next week, and they are going to be with us for quite a while.
What To Look For
The left lane of the airport entrance road will be closed next to the parking garage. On the roadway leading to and from garage parking, the left lane will be closed. The "return to airport" traffic coming from the parking garage exits will be rerouted to a new ramp just beyond the old ramp. (See it on the airport's project page.)
After the lane closures take effect -- and that's scheduled for Monday -- a construction crane will be set up within the parking garage. That will temporarily reduce the traffic entering the airport to one lane.
The 25-space bicycle rack at Garage C will be unavailable during construction, because it's too close to the work.
Alternatives
Drivers from the southbound parkway could use the second airport exit ramp to get around the construction.
Other bike parking is available around the airport. See this map.
To check on parking availability, use this link.
Why
The construction is expanding the parking at Garages A, B, and C. It will add a fifth level, with 1,424 more spaces. But the $54 million project won't be completed until 2010.
Other Worries
If you're traveling the GW Parkway, don't forget to watch for construction at the Humpback Bridge, just southwest of the 14th Street Bridge. Here's a link to that project's construction page.
By |
May 1, 2008; 6:24 AM ET
Construction
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Posted by: Woodley Park | May 1, 2008 10:39 AM
That white camera has been there for years. Not sure what it's for though.
I've gone by there at 60+ mph many times and never gotten anything in the mail; maybe I'm just lucky.
You can also skip all this by getting to the airport via the Jeff Davis Hwy (Rte. 1)
Posted by: CBGB | May 1, 2008 10:46 AM
From Dr. Gridlock: Definitely not a speed camera. They're not allowed in Virginia.
Posted by: Robert Thomson | May 1, 2008 11:10 AM
The white camera is indeed a speed camera, but it's not functional. Bear in mind that the GW Parkway is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, not the Commonwealth of Virginia, and speeding tickets on there go to the federal court in Alexandria (I've seen people come into the clerk's office to pay their fines). So in theory, because it's under federal control, they could put up a camera if they wanted without violating Virginia law. There is, or at least used to be, a second one located near Parkway HQ up just past the CIA (I haven't been up that way in a while).
I clearly remember the Post reporting on the installation of these cameras when they went up (may even have been mentioned by the prior Dr. Gridlock), but they were never activated and I've always wondered why they're still there. If my memory is accurate, they went up around 1999.
Dr. G, perhaps the mysterious white boxes are something that would make for an interesting blog topic if you're inclined to investigate?
Posted by: Rich | May 1, 2008 11:27 AM
Wow, I must have driven by there 100 times since I've moved here and never once noticed it before. I typically drive quite a bit over the limit on that section and haven't gotten anything either.
Posted by: Woodley Park | May 1, 2008 11:28 AM
Following up, here is an article from 2000 that talks about the photo-radar being tested on the GW Parkway over a 10-month period, and another from the Wall Street Journal in 2001. Google turned up an excerpt from a Washington Times article that talked about Dick Armey fighting these things, but I couldn't get the whole article.
http://www.drivers.com/article/356/
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=95000744
Posted by: Rich | May 1, 2008 11:30 AM
But if a speeding ticket were given out, what law would you be charged under? I always thought it was Federal officers writing tickets charging you with violating the state Vehicle and Traffic Law of whatever state you were in...meaning that state's laws regarding methods of enforcement would apply. Unless the Feds have their own traffic laws for Federal Lands. This is similar to how you need a Virginia state fishing license to fish in Shenendoah National Park...the Federal Rangers are clearly enforcing a state law in that respect.
Posted by: Woodley Park | May 1, 2008 1:45 PM
"Woodley Park," thankfully I have never had reason to find out the answer to that question!
Posted by: Rich | May 1, 2008 1:53 PM
fukc the law
Posted by: CBGB | May 1, 2008 4:57 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Speaking of GW Parkway near Reagan National Airport...
Has anyone noticed the white camera placed alongside the northbound lanes of the parkway between the entrance ramp from National Airport and the Gravely Point parking area exit ramp? Does anyone know what that is for? It looks more like the high-resolution red light/speed camera type (a box with holes for a flash and lens), as opposed to the traffic monitoring type (rectangular box with a visor over the front).
I know there are no red lights on the parkway, but could it be a speed camera? The speed limit is artificially low in this area, and would probably generate a lot of money, but I thought only red light cameras were allowed in Virginia? Plus I did not see any "photo enforced" signs on speed limit signs in the area.