Archive: Construction
More Road Work Under Way
After months of relatively light activity because of cool temperatures, we're beginning to see roadway paving pick up. Here's one such sign of the season: The Maryland State Highway Administration plans to begin a $1.3 million paving project tonight along Route 32 in the Clarksville area of Howard County. The work, scheduled to be completed by the end of June, will be done along two and a half miles of Route 32 between West Linden Church Road and Clarksville Pike. Watch for single-lane closures between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday nights. Watch for the construction workers, too. Route 32 in this area is used by more than 29,000 vehicles a day, the SHA says, and it points out that headlight use is mandatory in this area. If you have any questions about traffic operations along Route 32 or other state routes in Howard County, you can call...
By | May 14, 2008; 10:46 AM ET | Comments (0)
Wilson Bridge Delays This Weekend
Delays and detours at the Wilson Bridge this weekend will remind drivers of what happened before the first new span opened in the summer of 2006. As traffic planners prepare to open the second span, they are dusting off their '06 message: Expect serious delays while construction crews set up Capital Beltway lanes to align with the new bridge. Incredibly, people up and down the East Coast got the word two years ago, and most did the smart thing by dodging Washington or just staying home. I hope history repeats itself this weekend, the first of two this month for the Beltway reconfiguration. The trouble zone for drivers will stretch along the outer loop between the Springfield Interchange and the bridge. Go west around the Beltway or up I-395 to avoid the work area. Here's the plan. 9 p.m. Friday -- The outer loop will be reduced to one lane...
By | May 8, 2008; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (13)
Signs of HOT Lane Construction
During Monday's online discussion, a reader asked, "Whatever happened to HOT lanes on 495 in VA?" Drivers on the western side of the Capital Beltway in Virginia should be seeing signs of the work now. Four areas along the Beltway that are owned by the Virginia Department of Transportation are being cleared for storage of equipment. They're at Georgetown Pike, Chain Bridge Road, Interstate 66 and Braddock Road. At the Georgetown Pike site, you'll see office trailers for the project. You'll probably be seeing them until 2012, when the HOT (high occupancy or toll) lanes are scheduled to be completed. Construction is scheduled to begin in July. Two lanes will be added to each side of the Beltway along the 14 miles from Springfield to north of the Dulles Toll Road. Then four inside lanes will be converted for use by carpoolers and buses, traveling for free, and solo drivers...
By | May 6, 2008; 06:09 AM ET | Comments (15)
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...
By | May 1, 2008; 06:24 AM ET | Comments (9)
Beltway Lanes Clear
All the lanes on the Capital Beltway at Branch Avenue in Prince George's County have been reopened following completion of the big weekend project involving construction of a flyover ramp. For 14 hours overnight, Maryland State Highway Administration crews set a dozen curved beams for the new ramp, which is part of a $52 million interchange project, improving access to the nearby Metrorail station. The entire project is scheduled for completion early next year....
By | April 20, 2008; 01:29 PM ET | Email a Comment
Parkway Paving Postponed
The repaving on Rock Creek Parkway that had been scheduled to start today has been postponed for a week. The National Park Service says this weekend's weather forecast, which includes the possibility of thunderstorms, could have posed a problem for the paving project on the parkway's southbound side between P Street and Virginia Avenue. Here's the new plan: The southbound curb lane will be closed Friday, April 18, after noon. Then at midnight, the southbound P Street ramp will close, reopening after noon on Saturday. On Sunday, the Pennsylvania Avenue and K Street ramps will be repaved, so they can reopen by 6:30 a.m. Monday, April 21. Three travel lanes will remain open both northbound and southbound during the paving operations. The Thompson's Boat Center parking lot will close for repaving on Monday, April 21, after 7 p.m. and reopen Tuesday, April 22 at noon....
By | April 11, 2008; 09:07 AM ET | Comments (5)
Paving to Start on Rock Creek Parkway
The National Park Service plans to start a paving project on Rock Creek Parkway between Virginia Avenue and P Street tonight after the evening rush. The work involves closing the southbound curbside lane, the P Street ramp, the K Street ramp and the Pennsylvania Avenue ramp. Three travel lanes will remain open both northbound and southbound during the paving operations, the park service says. All those ramps are scheduled to reopen by 5 a.m. Friday and stay open until 10 a.m. Then they will close again through Sunday. The parking lot for Thompson's Boat Center will be closed for repaving on Monday after 7:00 p.m. It's scheduled to reopen Tuesday afternoon. This whole project, which began last April, is scheduled to be done in May. You can see a fuller description of the work on this page from the Federal Highway Administration, which is overseeing the project in conjunction with...
By | April 10, 2008; 06:40 AM ET | Email a Comment
New Parking For National Airport
The garages at Reagan National Airport are going to get a new top deck, adding 1,424 spaces. The $54 million topper on Garages A, B and C is scheduled to be done in 2010, increasing parking by about 27 percent, the airports authority says. First, though, the construction project will require the closing of 162 parking spaces on the top of Garage C. But the airports authority, which also operates Dulles, plans to open a 700-space temporary parking lot near the Economy Lot by this summer. A free shuttle will provide transportation to all the terminals. Parking is often tight at the airport, so check its Web site for updates on availability before leaving for a flight. Also, watch out for changing traffic patterns created by the construction. You also can call 703-417-7275 for parking information....
By | March 31, 2008; 05:35 AM ET | Comments (8)
GW Parkway Rehab Planned
The National Park Service tonight will host the first of two public information meetings to discuss proposed improvements in the northern part of the George Washington Parkway, between the Capital Beltway and Spout Run. The proposal calls for repaving, construction of curbs and gutters to improve drainage, improvements in the guard walls and reconfiguration of the interchange with Route 123. As with much of the parkway system in the Washington region, the original design didn't envision today's traffic volume and speeds, or their evolution from scenic roadways to major commuter routes. But as with other rehabilitation projects on the Rock Creek Parkway and the Humpback Bridge, this latest effort will attempt to balance the modern demands with the original purpose of the parkways. The first meeting, from 7 to 9 o'clock tonight, is the McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. The second session will be held from 4 to...
By | March 27, 2008; 05:41 AM ET | Comments (14)
Traffic Alert For RC Parkway
It's back. I'm not talking about spring. It's time for a new lane closure on the Rock Creek Parkway. The National Park Service today will close the right southbound lane at all hours for about three weeks. This is between P Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue, the work zone that became infamous with commuters last year. Three travel lanes will remain open, the park service says. The P Street ramps will remain open, the park service says. The Federal Highway Administration, which is doing the year long parkway repair project in conjunction with the park service, has a Web page that describes the work....
By | March 17, 2008; 05:39 AM ET | Email a Comment
Updates on MD Bridge Projects
The Maryland State Highway Administration sent along this information about the longterm bridge replacement project on Kenilworth Avenue at Route 50 in Prince George's after noticing a reader had asked for an update. Replacement of the parallel bridges, which began in late-summer 2006, is now more than half done and should be completed by next winter. Traffic switched to the bridge that has been completed in December, and workers are now demolishing the other bridge. Meanwhile, they are doing some pile driving and concrete work this month on the replacement structure. During the summer, SHA says, concrete will be poured for a new bridge deck. All during construction, three lanes in each direction of Kenilworth stay open, but watch for lane closures between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. This is a major traffic junction -- two heavily traveled commuter routes -- and the going is rough through...
By | March 4, 2008; 05:40 AM ET | Email a Comment
Parkway Bridge Update
Since the big reconstruction project started in January on the George Washington Parkway's Humpback Bridge, I haven't heard many complaints from drivers, bikers or walkers. And I hope that means that the work so far has not caused much difficulty. This week's activity: On the southbound side, the right lane is closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Lane closures are never permitted during the peak periods, though just the presence of such a project is likely to cause slowdowns during times when the traffic volume is high. This project is still just getting underway, and isn't scheduled to be finished till spring 2010. Each week, the Federal Highway Administration, which is doing the job in conjunction with the National Park Service, posts an update on its Humpback Bridge page. You can find more details about the project and its goals on this page. Right now, the...
By | March 3, 2008; 01:46 PM ET | Comments (2)
New Pattern on GW Parkway Bridge
Reconstruction of the George Washington Parkway's Humpback Bridge is entering a new phase that probably will have more of an impact on drivers. Humpback Bridge area on GW Parkway. (Federal Highway Administration) On the southbound side of the parkway, both lanes are shifting to the left just before the bridge. This is likely to cause traffic congestion, even during the peak periods, when all the lanes are open. At this early stage of the project, which began last month, the construction work includes installation of two cranes on each side of the Boundary Channel along the southbound parkway and removal of a power line from under the bridge. A temporary power line will be installed across the channel, and boats still can pass under the bridge. The Mount Vernon Trail stays open for walkers and bikers throughout the project. The Humpback Bridge, just northwest of the 14th Street Bridge and...
By | February 5, 2008; 10:20 AM ET | Comments (15)
Traffic Delays on I-66 in Arlington
Virginia Department of Transportation crews are drilling holes for retaining walls near Westmoreland Street (Exit 68 on Interstate 66), requiring some late-morning lane closures on the westbound side that are likely to result in heavy traffic congestion this week. Each morning this week, from 10 a.m. to about 11:30 a.m., expect to find the two right lanes and the right shoulder closed in the westbound direction. That schedule should hold as long as the weather is okay. VDOT says it will put out an updated schedule for more work that must be done as part of this effort, which is part of the study for the proposed spot improvements along westbound I-66 inside the Beltway....
By | January 8, 2008; 05:11 AM ET | Comments (18)
GW Parkway Work Starts Monday
The National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration are going to rebuild the Humpback Bridge, which carries 75,000 vehicles a day over Boundary Channel, just northwest of the 14th Street Bridge. The $35 million project, which is likely to cause big traffic delays on the parkway, is scheduled to start Monday and last two and a half years. Humpback Bridge area on GW Parkway. (Federal Highway Administration) This got my attention in part because the Rock Creek Parkway reconstruction project was one of the top Dr. Gridlock letter-generators of 2007. Motorists complained not only about the pace of work along that route but also about what they considered a lack of timely information regarding the project's impact and commuting alternatives. For the upcoming GW Parkway project, the park service is trying hard to get the word out about what its doing, why and what your driving options are. Like so...
By | January 3, 2008; 08:50 AM ET | Comments (55)
Alert for Southern MD Drivers
With the holidays over, highway work picks up again. The highlight: A section of Route 5 near the Capital Beltway in Prince George's is scheduled to shut down for the weekend, as part of Maryland's $52 million project to rebuild the interchange at the Beltway. This project, designed to improve access to the Branch Avenue Metro station, started in March 2006 and is scheduled to be completed by fall 2009. This part involves placement of structural steel for a flyover ramp to southbound Route 5 (Branch Avenue). This will require the closing of Route 5 between Auth Road and Manchester Drive from 2 p.m. on Saturday to 5 a.m. on Monday. The right lane along the Beltway's outer loop will be blocked for about a quarter mile north of the interchange. Also, the ramp from the outer loop to northbound Route 5 will be closed. Drivers will have no direct...
By | January 2, 2008; 05:06 AM ET | Email a Comment
Tysons Road Work to Begin
Shortly after the New Year begins, motorists on Route 7 in Tysons Corner will start to feel the impact of the long-awaited Metrorail construction project. The region's most expensive transportation project will start off humbly: Washington Gas crews will begin to relocate the utility lines on the service road by Gosnell Road. But there's much more to come on Route 7. Eventually, the service roads on each side will disappear, Route 7's travel lanes will widen out and a median will be created to provide space for the elevated train line, which will bend onto Route 7 from Route 123. But this is what thousands of drivers will see first: The gas company crews will begin work on the service road between Gosnell and the first Route 7 entrance into the Pike 7 Plaza. A lane of the service road on this side of Route 7 will be closed until...
By | December 28, 2007; 06:04 AM ET | Comments (43)
Two Highway Projects Advance
Two highway deals announced this month will affect thousands of drivers in Virginia over the next few years: Construction of the High Occupancy or Toll lanes along the Capital Beltway is scheduled to begin in the spring, and construction of the final, crucial segment of the Fairfax County Parkway is scheduled to begin in 2009. Both projects are important for commuters who are likely to face increased congestion in the next few years because of the military base relocation program and the increasing development at Tysons Corner. Each project faced obstacles of the type that were bound to be overcome, because local leaders believed that the consequences of inaction would be dire. (The same will someday be said of the Tysons rail project.) The big project in dollars and distance is the $1.4 billion, 14-mile HOT lane program along the region's busiest highway. The deal between the state and the...
By | December 26, 2007; 09:26 AM ET | Comments (27)
Connecticut Avenue Bridge Reopening
Drivers on Connecticut Avenue should find all the lanes on the Klingle Bridge open. The District Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday that the work in the lanes would end in time for the evening rush. This $9 million rehab job on the historic bridge began in September 2006, and the project is scheduled to continue until April. But it has progressed far enough to allow DDOT to reopen the lanes, which had been closed one by one for reconstruction. You won't see those red and green markers overhead anymore. Last fall, they were a source of some letters from commuters and Cleveland Park neighbors who worried that motorists would confuse them with stop and go signals at the nearby Macomb Street and Devonshire Place intersections. About 45,000 motorists travel across the bridge each day. DDOT says Cleveland Park residents also can expect less noise in the bridge area now...
By | December 19, 2007; 04:49 PM ET | Comments (1)
Central Avenue Bridge Reopens
Commuters from Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties can end three and a half months of detours around a bridge over the Patuxent River. The Maryland State Highway Administration announced the reopening of the Central Avenue span today. Cleanup work is going to continue for several weeks, the SHA said in a statement, but the rebuilt bridge is open to traffic. Also, there will be some single lane closures between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for about a week. The bridge, built in 1925, was carrying 11,000 vehicles a day when the state shut it down for extensive repairs that included replacement of corroded steel plates, installation of a new concrete deck and repainting. The project cost $3 million....
By | December 3, 2007; 04:46 PM ET | Comments (1)
Beltway Work This Weekend
A big phase of the Wilson Bridge construction project is scheduled for this weekend, and it will make the Capital Beltway in that area a good place to avoid. The Beltway's lanes must be put into a new alignment so they'll wind up where the bridge is once its in its final configuration as a two-span structure. The first span opened last year and the second one will open in 2008. All lanes on the Beltway's inner loop in Virginia and on the outer loop in Maryland are scheduled to be shifted into the new alignment this weekend in the area near the bridge. So if all goes as planned, drivers on those routes will be following a new course by Monday. But you won't want to be stuck watching as it happens. Lane closures are scheduled on both sides of the Potomac, but project managers think the inner loop...
By | November 1, 2007; 05:26 AM ET | Comments (2)
Getting Ready for Gainesville
The Gainesville interchange reconstruction will be another Springfield, said Virginia Transportation Secretary Pierce Homer. He was at a community meeting in Bristow on Monday night to help people prepare for what's coming. People in these western Prince William communities know about traffic. Just ask anyone who was sitting on Nokesville Road at about 5:30 last night. The rebuilding of the congested junction at Interstate 66 and Route 29 will be the biggest transportation improvement to come to that area. Thanks to a deal with the federal government announced last week, the project now is scheduled to begin in 2010, three years ahead of schedule. So Homer has begun a tour of the nearby communities, explaining to residents and business people not only what they'll have when it's done in 2014 but also what sorts of disruptions they'll experience along the way. The community involvement and outreach to commuters involved in...
By | October 30, 2007; 09:14 AM ET | Comments (2)
Rain Delay
The rainy weather has forced the District to postpone the reopening of Foxhall Road NW. The Department of Transportation had hoped that traffic would be flowing by today. The new schedule calls for the roadway between Reservoir Road and Nebraska Avenue to reopen after the morning rush on Wednesday. DDOT spokesman Erik Linden said in a statement that the department hopes crews can resume work on Foxhall once the rain tapers off on Saturday. On Thursday, I put up an advisory about weekend lane shifts planned for Beltway lanes near the Wilson Bridge, but then had to take it back when project managers looked at the extended forecast and decided the rain would make it impossible to complete the work this weekend. That's been rescheduled for next weekend, although there will be some lane closures late Sunday night and early Monday to prepare for the realignment. What other effects has...
By | October 26, 2007; 08:06 AM ET | Comments (2)
Rock Creek Ramp Open
The ramp that leads traffic from P Street NW down to the southbound Rock Creek Parkway was open yesterday. I may be the first one telling you that. I haven't seen any advisory on it from the National Park Service, which is in charge of the parkway reconstruction project, along with the Federal Highway Administration. Single lanes pass on either side of parkway work zone. (Robert Thomson) On Monday, I was walking along the parkway to see what's going on, since this lengthy reconstruction project between P Street and Virginia Avenue in Northwest Washington remains the primary generator of letters among my readers. I spotted two work zones: One at the P Street ramp, but the work was confined to the grassy little island where the ramp's on-lane and -off lane split. That wasn't interfering with traffic. The other work zone was the big deal. That takes up the center...
By | October 23, 2007; 05:32 AM ET | Comments (14)
Douglass Bridge Work Continues
Just below where your tires roll across the Frederick Douglass Bridge, workers continue to fix or replace parts of the structure. Along South Capitol Street, where construction of the new Nationals stadium continues to make dramatic progress, other crews are at work on the roadway and sidewalks. Riveter works on girder below bridge deck. (Robert Thomson) But the District is done with lane closures, and the remaining work is pretty much something to entertain commuters rather than annoy them. What they'll see on the bridge includes the continuing replacement of the old railings with a darker, more attractive design that resembles the one used on Pennsylvania Avenue's Sousa Bridge. Out of sight below the deck, in a big box-like area of pale gray steel, workers are riveting new bolts into place while either refurbishing or replacing aging parts of the structure across the Anacostia River. Aside from making the whole...
By | October 19, 2007; 07:59 AM ET | Comments (6)
Route 28 Interchange Underway
Work starts today on an important bit of congestion relief in Virginia: Construction of an interchange to replace the intersection of Route 28 and Frying Pan Road near Dulles Airport in Fairfax County. This is the last of 10 interchanges to be built along Route 28, a major north south commuter route with links that include Route 7, the Dulles Toll Road and Interstate 66. Seven of the 10 new interchanges are done. Along with Frying Pan Road, the other two remaining to be completed are at Nokes Boulevard and Willard Road. The latter two got underway this summer. All three are scheduled to be done in fall 2009, and not a moment too soon, according to commuters. On Tuesday, I checked out the recently opened partial interchange at Innovation Avenue. It's partial because the ramps link only with the northbound lanes of Route 28. There's not enough demand yet...
By | October 17, 2007; 12:56 PM ET | Comments (7)
Foxhall Closing for Road Work
The District plans to close most of Foxhall Road to through traffic after morning rush on Wednesday, and it will remain shut through Oct. 25 if the construction work goes according to plan. Residents and visitors will still have access to the area, which is between Reservoir Road and Nebraska Avenue in Northwest Washington. But the many commuters who use this route will have to follow detour signs or find alternatives. This work is part of a $4 million road construction and streetscape project on Foxhall between Nebraska Avenue and Canal Road. The overall project, scheduled to be completed by next June, will widen the intersection at Reservoir Road, adding a left turn lane from eastbound Reservoir to northbound Foxhall; fix the sidewalks, pavement markings and traffic signs; add signals and street lighting at Reservoir and Foxhall; and resurface the roadway between Canal and Nebraska. Here are the detours for...
By | October 16, 2007; 07:35 AM ET | Comments (23)
Va. Commuters Will Face Many Projects
Virginia commuters will soon find themselves swept up in set of transportation projects with far reaching affects on their daily travels. The Virginia Department of Transportation just issued a status report on what it refers to as the "mega-projects": I-95 Widening - VDOT will add a fourth lane in each direction for six miles from Newington to the Occoquan River. Construction begins early 2008 and will be completed in 2010. I-95/Telegraph Road Interchange - Construction of the new interchange will begin in 2008 and be completed in 2012 as part of the Wilson Bridge project. Beltway HOT Lanes - Under a public-private partnership that VDOT expects will go to financial close by the end of the year, Fluor-Transurban will building two HOV/HOT lanes in each direction from Springfield to just north of the Dulles Toll Road. The project includes adding carpool ramps from the I-95 HOV lanes to the Beltway...
By | October 12, 2007; 06:12 AM ET | Comments (11)
Progress Today on Route 28
Good news out on Route 28 near Dulles Airport: The new partial interchange at Innovation Avenue is scheduled to open today. You commuters who use Route 28 to get north and south everyday know the much-hated traffic light at the avenue was taken down over the summer while work proceeded to convert that junction from an intersection to an interchange, or at least half an interchange on the eastern side. The two new ramps, which cost a total of $5.9 million, took three months to build. The one that will carry traffic from Innovation to northbound Route 28 will open in the late morning and the one from northbound Route 28 to Innovation will open later in the day. The construction-related detour to Route 606 will be done. Someday, when the money and the demand are there, a full interchange will be built. This is all part of the Route...
By | October 4, 2007; 05:15 AM ET | Comments (13)
Route 29 Interchange Done in Maryland
We've talked about the completion of travel-blocking work at the Frederick Douglass Bridge in the District and the Legion Bridge across the Potomac. But another bit of work that got done recently was the reconstruction of the Briggs Chaney Road interchange with Route 29, a major commuter pathway in Maryland. This is part of a longterm project by the State Highway Administration to ease traffic flow by turning Route 29 intersections into interchanges. Many commuters heading for Washington find they have an easier trip, until they reach the older, more built up White Oak area, with it's intersections, traffic lights and narrower roadway. Still, the completion of the $49 million Briggs Chaney work should come as welcome news for many travelers. For one thing, all the temporary ramps and traffic signals are gone. But the design of the finished product should safe travelers time, whether they're heading north-south or east-west...
By | September 12, 2007; 04:52 AM ET | Comments (31)
Watch for Work Near Wilson Bridge
Starting Wednesday, there will be a lot of work affecting travelers on the Maryland approach to the Wilson Bridge. The goal is to shift the inner loop lanes into a new configuration, as part of the bridge reconstruction project, but getting to that point will be a hassle. The ramp from Route 210 South to the inner loop will be rebuilt and raised by about 7 feet to match the grade of the new inner loop lanes. To perform the work, the ramp is scheduled to close at 10 a.m. tomorrow, so that will seriously affect morning commuters on Thursday and Friday. Drivers will be following a detour to Route 414 East (Oxon Hill Road) that then returns to the inner loop. Expect delays. The next action affects the inner loop itself: At 9 p.m. Friday, the construction schedule calls for reducing the inner loop to one lane between the...
By | September 11, 2007; 04:51 AM ET | Comments (7)
Problems Persist on Rock Creek Parkway
Many commuters have written in to ask what's going on with the National Park Service construction project along busy Rock Creek Parkway between P Street and Virginia Avenue in Washington. The parkway's right lane is blocked off on the southbound side and part of the P Street ramp is closed. Work is scheduled to continue into next spring. (Robert Thomson) Here's a typical letter. Dear Dr. Gridlock: As a regular Rock Creek commuter, can you give me an update on when the heck they will finish the side they are working on and begin on the other? They closed the lane in April and I don't see any progress at all. With construction on the only other reasonable alternative (Foxhall Road), we are more or less stranded up here. Paul Rosenzweig The park service says the southbound parkway exit to P Street has reopened and that work has switched to...
By | September 7, 2007; 07:32 AM ET | Comments (18)
P Street Ramp Opening Delayed
As many of you probably discovered already, the work on the P Street ramp from the southbound Rock Creek Parkway has not been finished on schedule. The National Park Service, which is in charge of the reconstruction project along the parkway, had announced last week that the next phase of the P Street work would begin Tuesday and the closed ramp would reopen. The park service just announced that the work isn't done and that it now expects the ramp to reopen by 10 a.m. Thursday. At that time, the park service said in a statement, access from P Street down to the southbound parkway will be blocked off and the new construction will begin. The park service had estimated that this new phase would be done by Sept. 25, but the new estimate released today is that the work will last through Oct. 1....
By | September 5, 2007; 02:22 PM ET | Comments (4)
Warning Sign Added Before Beltway Ramp
Maryland's highway administration said today that it took a step to help drivers confused by the new traffic pattern at a Capital Beltway exit in Silver Spring. A new message board is in place before Exit 29 on the outer loop reading "MD 193 east and west - use exit 29." Motorists who follow those directions will arrive at a rebuilt ramp, now controlled by a traffic light, which takes drivers either east or west onto Route 193 (University Boulevard). Watch for rough pavement at Beltway's new Exit 29 intersection with University Boulevard. (Robert Thomson) The green overhead signs on the outer loop had been changed to reflect the new pattern, in which the rebuilt ramp does the job formerly performed by two ramps, which were designated A and B. The second one, which used to take drivers east on University toward Langley Park, is now closed. "Before the [rebuilt]...
By | August 16, 2007; 01:04 PM ET | Comments (6)
Give Them a Brake
The Maryland State Highway Administration yesterday urged drivers to be cautious when they pass through work zones following the deaths of two members of a highway crew and the injury of three other men on Route 29 in Burtonsville this week. The five, employees of PDI Sheetz of Linthicum Heights, were working on a bridge patching project along Route 29 over the Patuxent River. Manuel De Jesus Gonzalez-Geronimo, 31, was driving a north on Route 29 at about 1 p.m. on Monday when his van struck a truck, then pinned the five workers who were sitting on a guardrail north of Route 198, near the Howard County line, The Post reported. Martin Ruffin, 30, of Baltimore and James Cronin, 37, of Glen Burnie were fatally injured. Two other men are in critical condition. Gonzalez-Geronimo, who police said is an unlicensed driver in the country illegally, fled after the accident but...
By | August 15, 2007; 04:43 PM ET | Comments (3)
Use Caution at Beltway Interchange
For many drivers used to taking the exit from the Beltway's outer loop onto University Boulevard in Montgomery County, the new traffic pattern will come as a complete surprise. Old ramp to eastbound University Boulevard now shut. (Robert Thomson) The new ramp from the Capital Beltway outer loop to University Boulevard (Exit 29) is completely operational now, including the traffic light at the top of the ramp that controls traffic heading east and west on University. I drove it three times this morning, and it seemed to work fine. On the ramp, two lanes go east and two go west. But if you're used to the old traffic pattern at that Silver Spring interchange, which involved an Exit A and an Exit B, then watch out: The second ramp, the Exit B that used to take drivers east toward Langley Park and College Park, is now closed. This eliminates a...
By | August 15, 2007; 12:07 PM ET | Comments (8)
Whitehurst Ramp Closed
The ramp from Interstate 66 and the Potomac River Freeway to the Whitehurst Freeway is shut until Aug. 24 for maintenance and emergency repairs, the District Department of Transportation says. DDOT plans to close the ramp again during a second phase of the project during September and October. On two Fridays, Sept. 7 and Sept. 21, the ramp will be closed from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Then it will be shut down again from Monday, Oct. 1, through Friday, Oct. 5. Here's the detour plan from I-66/Potomac Freeway (watch for signs): -- Make a left to exit onto Rock Creek Parkway, -- Bear right at the yield sign on 27th Street NW, -- Turn left onto Whitehurst Freeway. Thanks to blogger "Woodley Park" for pointing out that I had omitted this project from my list of traffic advisories in a previous entry. Woodley also said that the ramp closure...
By | August 14, 2007; 05:01 AM ET | Comments (14)
MD Bridge Closing for Rehab
Another one of the region's bridges is scheduled to undergo a rehabilitation project this summer. The Maryland State Highway Administration plans to shut down the Central Avenue bridge over the Patuxent River on Monday for a $3 million project scheduled to last until late fall. The 72-year-old, two-lane steel truss bridge on the Prince George's-Anne Arundel line carries nearly 11,000 vehicles daily. Though it lacks the scale of the Douglass and Legion bridges, the rehab project caused some of the same concerns among the commuters who use it on their way toward Washington and now will have to use detours. Some in the Davidsonville area would have prefered that the state find a way to work only at night or keep the bridge partly open to traffic during rush periods. But the state figured it was best to get in, get it done and get out of a project that...
By | August 3, 2007; 05:26 AM ET | Comments (8)
Progress on Douglass Bridge
While some of you are sitting in traffic on I-295 and Pennsylvania Avenue because of the Douglass Bridge shutdown, construction crews are working two 10-hour shifts each day to get the rehabilitation job done on schedule. Bridge workers maneuver concrete form near new intersection. (Robert Thomson) Ardeshir Nafici, the acting associate director of the District Department of Transportation, and project manager Chase Cox led a tour Wednesday morning across the top of the bridge. If you do a 360-degree turn up there, the Anacostia waterfront area looks like one continuous work zone, and that's been one of the challenges on the bridge project: Coordinating with the utility companies and developers who also are working along the South Capitol Street corridor on projects like the new Nationals stadium. Ardeshir Nafici, left, and Chase Cox discuss the project. (Robert Thomson) Nafici says that's been going remarkably well, and the bridge reconstruction is...
By | August 2, 2007; 05:25 AM ET | Comments (8)
Detour to a Dead End
Drivers perplexed by the detour signs guiding them around the shutdown Grosvenor Lane Bridge over Interstate 270 in Bethesda should find them changed by the end of today, and that will be a good thing. Follow this detour sign on Old Georgetown ... Dear Dr. Gridlock: Laughably, but true, the Maryland State Highway Administration has placed signs on Old Georgetown Road that lead drivers to the construction site rather than around it. After going a mile out of their way, a driver must make a U-Turn and return to Old Georgetown Road. Then, there are no signs leading them to Tuckerman Lane or West Cedar Lane. It is a long detour, with many possible incorrect turns for those not familiar with the area or without GPS systems. Many signs are needed. Rochelle Follender Bethesda Fortunately, I had my GPS on Thursday afternoon, for indeed, just as our letter writer says,...
By | July 27, 2007; 05:24 AM ET | Comments (2)
Traffic Report on Legion Bridge
Back in May, I said that the traffic backup on the south side of the American Legion Bridge was the worst construction-related congestion in our region. Today, that burden has shifted over to I-295 traffic around the 11th Street Bridge, because of the summertime shutdown of the Frederick Douglass Bridge. (Why is it always bridges?) The backup on the Beltway's inner loop and on the northbound George Washington Parkway was bad Monday and today. But that's a significant improvement from May. A couple of things have changed, of course: It's summer and some commuters are on vacation. The Maryland State Highway Administration, which had created a staging area for the bridge painting project on its southeastern side and shortened up the parkway's merge lane, realigned the work zone to lengthen the merge somewhat. The most significant development for commuters who use this parkway-Beltway route between Arlington and Bethesda-Rockville-Gaithersburg is that...
By | July 24, 2007; 09:30 AM ET | Comments (20)
District Cranks Down Douglass Bridge
Reuben Hunter, an operating engineer from Herndon, has spent a career of 35 or so years in construction, but he looked like he couldn't wait to get started with his latest project. He was about to work the controls that would lower 200 feet of steel a few inches per hour until one end had descended 51 inches. Maybe for some that would be like watching paint dry. But this was a little different for Hunter. He was lowering the Frederick Douglass Bridge. Workers prepare to lower the elevated roadway. (Robert Thomson) While commuters who used to cross the Anacostia River on this South Capitol Street bridge were crawling along Interstate 295, the 11th Street Bridge, Pennsylvania Avenue and their other detour routes on Thursday morning, Hunter was controlling their future. This is, after all, what it's all about: a pivotal day in the two-month project to recreate the South...
By | July 20, 2007; 05:32 AM ET | Comments (12)
Progress on Three Bridges
The District and Maryland are reporting progress on some of bridge projects that have vexed commuters: the Klingle Bridge on Connecticut Avenue, South Capitol Street's Douglass Bridge and the Capital Beltway's Legion Bridge. Klingle: The District Department of Transportation says that on Wednesday the bridge rehabilitation will move into the far right lanes on the northbound side and the sidewalk. The other sidewalk, on the bridge's west side, will remain open. Work on Connecticut Avenue bridge began last fall. (Robert Thomson) For motorists, it's the same drill. Watch those red and green arrows overhead to tell you which lanes are open and don't get them confused with the red and green of the traffic signals at the intersections north and south of the bridge. During the morning rush, three lanes will be open southbound and one northbound. During evening rush, three lanes will be open northbound direction with one southbound....
By | July 17, 2007; 05:25 AM ET | Comments (12)
Metro Parking Filling Up Early
The recent shutdown of the District's Douglass Bridge is having an impact on transit as well as traffic. Metro says that drivers wanting to use the Green Line filled up the Anacostia garage by 7 a.m. today. That's very unusual. When I was there on Friday morning, the day the shutdown began, the roof of the parking structure was practically empty. Anacostia was one of the park and ride spots recommended by the District officials who planned the shutdown because it normally has that kind of extra capacity. Parking at Largo, on the eastern end of the Blue Line, also was full by 7 a.m. today. "We're 99 percent sure it's the impact of the Douglass Bridge," said Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel. Many people who pay extra for reserved parking arrived at the stations on the eastern side of the system to find that all the reserved spots were gone,...
By | July 10, 2007; 04:24 PM ET | Comments (26)
More Summertime Blues on Roads Today
If there is a summertime decrease in traffic volume, it was hard to find this morning. Cars still were backed up from the 11th Street Bridge all the way down I-295 toward the Beltway. Pennsylvania Avenue and East Capitol Street in the District were jammed. So were the Baltimore Washington Parkway heading south between the Beltway and the District and the outer loop of the Beltway between Greenbelt and Georgia Avenue. Those were just the roads I saw. Others could add to the list. I was out early trying to see if there's a clear pattern to the congestion stemming from the Douglass Bridge shutdown. The heart of the congestion continues to be the merge where I-295 traffic meets cars from the Suitland Parkway. That's unlikely to change until the restoration project on the South Capitol Street bridge is completed in two months and the bridge reopens. Click for District...
By | July 10, 2007; 09:29 AM ET | Comments (20)
Douglass Bridge: Why Call it Rush Hour?
Drivers this morning experienced the full, daunting impact of closing a major commuter route into Washington. Though the two-month shutdown of the Douglass Bridge at South Capitol Street began Friday, that commute seems like a mere tune up now. Click on image to see DDOT map of bridge detours. (Robert Thomson) Inbound traffic on Interstate 295 was backed up from the 11th Street Bridge down to the Beltway. Traffic also was heavy on Suitland Parkway, Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Branch Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue and East Capitol Street over the Anacostia River. The only inbound route I saw between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. that was not heavy, was Benning Road, and that was the last track I followed, at crossing the river at about 8:45 a.m. It's difficult to say if today's experience is going to be typical. Many drivers were off last week, so they were dealing with...
By | July 9, 2007; 10:03 AM ET | Comments (8)
Dealing With Douglass Bridge Shutdown
The first commute for drivers who had been using the District's now-closed Frederick Douglass Bridge at South Capitol Street included a car accident on inbound Interstate 295, congestion on the nearby roads and highways and some very confused motorists. Cone forest at Firth Sterling Avenue, just before the I-295 overpass. (Robert Thomson) The worst backup I saw was on I-295, behind that early-morning accident that blocked the right lane heading north. Though the lanes were open around 7 a.m., the highway traffic never did fully recover from that. The lane blockage might have reduced congestion for a while at the crucial merge point just beyond the accident scene where traffic from the Suitland Parkway and South Capitol Street enters 295. Here are some quick impressions: -- That short extra lane the District paved on the right side of 295 just south of the 11th Street Bridge is a big help...
By | July 6, 2007; 09:43 AM ET | Comments (10)
D.C. Bridge To Shut at Midnight
We're about to find out how many of you are on vacation. The Douglass Bridge, which takes South Capitol Street across the Anacostia River, will close at midnight tonight for two months of reconstruction. On summer days, the District Department of Transportation estimates, at least one of every 10 commuters is on vacation, providing some extra space for the rest of you. What lies beneath: The work zone under the Douglass Bridge, where the elevated road will be lowered. (Robert Thomson) We'll get our first look at that on Friday morning. The first few days of this should be the worst, as commuters get used to their new routes and schedules. Traffic on Friday should be lighter than normal, since many people used July 4 to launch a long holiday weekend. Next week will provide a better test of the commuting difficulties. We'll talk a lot more about that in...
By | July 5, 2007; 05:34 AM ET | Comments (15)
Maryland Sets New Commuter Bus Schedules
The Maryland Transit Administration has announced its plans to deal with the July-August shutdown of the Frederick Douglass Bridge on South Capitol Street, a major commuter route into Washington. The MTA's decision is the last part of the transit plan for a construction project that probably will give drivers fits. They'll be diverted to the 11th Street Bridge, East Capitol Street, Benning Road and New York Avenue, none of which is likely to be congestion free, even in the middle of summer. Metro already had announced its bus route changes. Now MTA says that after listening to passengers, it has decided to bring some of its routes into the Branch Avenue and Suitland Metrorail stations for those who wish to transfer to the subway, but continue in and out of dowtown Washington for the other riders willing to tough it out through the congestion. (The buses will be stuck in...
By | June 18, 2007; 07:15 AM ET | Comments (11)
Explaining Night Paving Hours
A couple of readers raised concerns this week about the nighttime paving along I-95 in Howard County. This job, between Routes 32 and 100, is one of the region's big paving projects. Another example is the overnight work along I-270 near Rockville and Gaithersburg. If you're driving along late at night, maybe coming back from a trip, or just an evening at a movie or concert, and you encounter a paving project, you know that sinking feeling that goes with seeing four lanes of brake lights ahead. This was one reader's comment on a Monday blog entry: Last night we returned from a weekend trip arriving in BWI about 10:30 pm. We took I-95 south and got embedded in one of the worst traffic jams I have ever been in. We were jammed up for about 1 hour before we finally go through the bottle neck where 4 lanes merged...
By | June 14, 2007; 05:34 AM ET | Comments (13)
Maryland Starting Beltway Project
Many drivers in Prince George's will welcome Maryland's announcement today that it will rebuilt the Capital Beltway section around the Arena Drive junction so that the interchange can be open permanently, rather than during FedEx Field events only. But improving that three-mile stretch of highway so that the interchange can safely stay open round the clock will require a construction program lasting for 18 months. Beltway drivers should watch for lane closures during off-peak hours. Many of you who attend Redskins football games know this intersection, which was built in 1997, but for the rest, it's just a highway sign. The interchange is open only during stadium events. Federal safety rules barred a permanent opening because two other interchanges were close by and the traffic pattern was disruptive. But that area has been growing, and many Prince George's residents have been looking forward to a solution that would allow a...
By | June 12, 2007; 01:36 PM ET | Comments (9)
D.C. Discusses Douglass Bridge Closing
Bottom line for commuters on the temporary closing of the Frederick Douglass Bridge this summer: "No question it's going to be painful." That was the message delivered to reporters this morning by Kathleen Penney, deputy chief engineer for the District Department of Transportation, which is in charge of the bridge reconstruction. South Capitol Street commuters who want to continue driving toward downtown Washington during the shutdown, scheduled to begin the night of July 6, will use the 11th Street Bridge as the primary detour, but also might choose to cross the Anacostia River on East Capitol Street, Benning Road or New York Avenue. If you cross at East Capitol Street you could park at RFK Stadium for $5 a day and take Metrorail or a bus downtown. An additional lane of I-295 between Suitland Parkway and the 11th Street Bridge will be paved to increase traffic capacity. I think most...
By | June 7, 2007; 12:28 PM ET | Comments (3)
Re-Routing Some Md. Commuter Buses
We're in the final day of the weekend lane closings on the Frederick Douglass Bridge. The outbound lanes of South Capitol Street are to reopen in time for this afternoon's rush. But the various transportation agencies that bring commuters into Washington and get them home again are making plans for the big July-August shutdown of the entire bridge for reconstruction. The latest agency to announce preparations is the Maryland Transit Administration, which operates commuter buses as well as the MARC trains. Some of the buses will have to be diverted and their schedules adjusted during the reconstruction. The transit administration is asking for comments from Southern Maryland commuters about how this should work This long-planned project is going to have a major impact on thousands of travelers, whether they drive, take Metrorail or buses, so I think Maryland is cutting it a little close in getting its passengers prepped for...
By | June 4, 2007; 05:03 AM ET | Email a Comment
Work Beginning on Transit Center
We've quite rightly focused many of our transportation discussions on the upcoming transit and road projects in the Tysons area, but beginning just a bit earlier on the Maryland side is the construction of the Silver Spring Transit Center. If your commute by car, bus or rail takes you through downtown Silver Spring, you're probably starting to notice the scattered preparations. There's a new median along Colesville Road, curb work along Wayne, Dixon and Ramsey avenues and new paving heading toward the MARC rail platform. They're just warming up. During the daily rush, 145 buses an hour pass through the station. By the time we're deep into the summer, the Metrobuses and Ride Ons --145 of which use the station each hour during the rush period -- will have moved out of the bus bays near the Metrorail entrance to their temporary stops on the nearby streets. Since Discovery opened...
By | May 30, 2007; 05:01 AM ET | Comments (2)
Welcome Back to the Work Zone
At the risk of killing the fine mood you might still be in after a splendid three-day getaway, I thought you might like to know the lastest on some of the construction projects that will resume today and later this week. Klingle Bridge: The District today expects to begin a new phase of the construction project that splits Connecticut Avenue traffic as it crosses the bridge. The work shifts to the second northbound lane, but during morning rush time, you'll still find three lanes open southbound and one northbound. During evening rush, the pattern will be reversed. Watch for those overhead red/green arrows that indicate which lanes are open, but don't get them confused with the regular traffic lights that control intersections on either side of the bridge. South Old Jefferson Davis Highway: Closed during the morning rush today for emergency repairs between Boundary Channel Drive and South 6th Street....
By | May 29, 2007; 05:01 AM ET | Comments (8)
More From Maryland on Legion Bridge Project
The jam-up caused by the repainting project at the American Legion Bridge has been the hottest topic in the Dr. Gridlock mailbag for two weeks, so I wrote about it for a second week in a row on Sunday. Northbound Beltway traffic is heavy south of bridge. (Robert Thomson) You Beltway and George Washington Parkway commuters have definitely gotten the attention of the Maryland and Virginia highway departments. Plus, I got an e-mail from Rep. Chris Van Hollen's office indicating that the Maryland congressman also was hearing about this. (It's not a federal project. The work is being done by the Maryland State Highway Administration.) Because there wasn't enough space to do so in the newspaper column, I thought I'd share with you here the full communication I received on Friday from SHA spokesman Chuck Gischlar, addressing your continued concerns about what's going on: Hi Dr. Gridlock - I wanted...
By | May 14, 2007; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (74)
D.C. Prepares for Bridge Shutdown
There's a lot of anxiety among commuters over the planned shutdown this summer of the Douglass Bridge, which brings them into downtown Washington from points south and east. Now the District has launched a program to help them find and finance alternative ways to reach work. Traffic heads across Frederick Douglass Bridge. (Mark Gail -- The Washington Post) Modeled after a program used during the Woodrow Wilson Bridge construction, the District Department of Transportation's "Bridge Bucks" program will provide $50 per month toward transit fares and vanpool fees. By providing financial resources and personal advice on transit services, the program enables individual commuters to utilize alternative travel options that best work for their particular lifestyle - whether via rail, bus or vanpool. The launching of this program, designed to ease traffic congestion and travel times during the July and August shutdown of the South Capitol Street bridge over the Anacostia...
By | May 8, 2007; 06:34 AM ET | Comments (14)
Paving Projects Abound
Dear Dr. Gridlock: Going north on Georgia Avenue, as you go under the Beltway, it is four lanes. Drivers in the right lane were warned after the Beltway that they would have to merge past Forest Glen Road. This past weekend, I noticed that the right lane is now expected to merge before Forest Glen Road. Is this going to be a new change? Or are things just off-kilter because of the repaving project? I have to say that forcing the merge before the Beltway and Forest Glen Road is going to make things a mess trying to get out of the Seminary Road area and north on Georgia. That fourth lane is desperately needed to accommodate the huge amount of cars coming off the Outer Loop, as well as helping to move the traffic trying to turn right on Forest Glen Road and heading to Holy Cross Hospital. Meredith...
By | April 25, 2007; 06:37 AM ET | Email a Comment
South Capitol Bridge Weekend Work
From 10 a.m. Friday until about 4 a.m. on Monday, the Frederick Douglass Bridge will be undergoing repairs. All inbound lanes of South Capitol Street across the Anacostia River will be closed, but the District says they will be reopened in time for Monday morning's rush period. Inbound drivers will be directed to follow detours on Interstate 295 North to the 11th Street Bridge so they can continue westbound trips. Traffic heads across Frederick Douglass Bridge. (Mark Gail -- The Washington Post) This is the fourth in a series of weekend bridge closures of all lanes in one direction. The District Department of Transportation says the work is in preparation for the really big project this summer, in which the bridge will be completely shut down for July and August. The transportation department says that the first three closures, on the weekends of Jan. 26, Feb. 9 and March 9,...
By | March 29, 2007; 09:27 AM ET | Comments (3)
Builder Picked for Intercounty Connector
Maryland has picked a contractor to build the western part of the intercounty connector, even though an environmenal lawsuit seeking to block the project is unresolved. Gov. Martin O'Malley announced Tuesday that the state has chosen a joint venture called Intercounty Constructors of Annapolis Junction to design and build the first phase of the much-debated highway under a $478.7 million contract. That will cover seven miles of the connector, between Interstate 370 and Georgia Avenue. That portion is scheduled to be complete in late 2010, according to the State Highway Administration. The segments east of Georgia Avenue would open in late 2011 or 2012. The state has broken up the highway job into five contracts in a project that wil eventually create an 18.8 mile highway connecting the I-270 corridor in the west to the I-95/Route1 corridor in the east. Intercounty Constructors combines Granite Construction Company, Corman Construction Inc. and...
By | March 28, 2007; 09:27 AM ET | Comments (31)
Weekend Work at Douglass Bridge
The Frederick Douglass Bridge, which takes South Capitol Street traffic over the Anacostia River, will be under repair again this weekend. The inbound lanes will remain closed from 10 a.m. Friday to as late as 4 a.m. Monday, but will be back in business for the Monday morning rush period. Driver heading toward downtown Washington will be directed to follow detours on Interstate 295 North to the 11th Street Bridge. This is the third in a series of weekend closings of all lanes in one direction. The main event in the rehabilitation program won't come until July and August, when the bridge will be completely shut down. That's when the northernmost portion of the bridge will be lowered to become an at-grade roadway with a new intersection at Potomac Avenue. The plan is to open up the neighborhood, where the new Nationals stadium is being built, and create a better...
By | March 7, 2007; 01:15 PM ET | Comments (3)
Weekend Work on Roads and Rails
Here are a few projects to keep in mind if you're driving or taking Metrorail this weekend. -- Whitehurst Freeway: The ramp that leads to the I-66 East exit will be closed for preventative maintenance and emergency repair from 7 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. The detour takes vehicles east on Whitehurst, right onto 27th Street, left onto I ("Eye") Street and then back to the freeway. (By the way, this work has nothing to do with the District's discussions about eventually tearing down the Whitehurst.) -- Metrorail: There's plenty of track work and train car testing affecting riders on the Blue, Yellow, Green and Orange lines this weekend. You can read all the details by clicking here. The situation likely to have the most impact on travelers is the rail switch reconstruction at Braddock Road Station. That will disrupt service on the Blue and Yellow lines from 10...
By | March 2, 2007; 08:30 AM ET | Comments (2)
Rally for Tysons Tunnel Tomorrow
The backers of the upstart proposal to put a Metrorail tunnel through Tysons will hold a rally on Saturday, ending what they see as an encouraging week for their cause. The rally is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow at The Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna. You can find more information about it at TysonsTunnel.org, where it's never over till it's under. The optimism stems from statements made this week by Federal Transit Administration officials indicating that Virginia is not up against an imminent deadline for submitting it's final plan for the rail extension through Tysons. In fact, the feds said, the state has until spring of 2008. This is the goal for the Saturday event, according to the tunnel advocates: "During the rally, attendees will be updated on the benefits of competitive bidding for construction of a tunnel under Tysons Corner as...
By | February 9, 2007; 08:35 AM ET | Comments (20)
Traffic Alert for Douglass Bridge
It may seem odd to be thinking of mid-summer traffic when you're trying to crank up a cold engine in February, but for some readers, it's not too early to be planning for the big summertime shutdown of the Douglass Bridge on South Capitol Street. The District Department of Transportation plans to divert traffic up to the 11th Street Bridge during July and August. That's by no means the only part of its strategy for easing congestion. There will be a campaign to get drivers to park at the Anacostia Metro station and take the Green Line downtown, park up at RFK and take a shuttle bus and take commuter buses. Plus, the work on the Douglass Bridge will occur during the lightest possible travel months. Still, drivers are concerned. How would you advise this traveler from Prince George's County? Dear Dr. Gridlock: The July and August closing of the...
By | February 8, 2007; 06:03 AM ET | Comments (6)
Summer Detour for D.C. Commuters
The Frederick Douglass Bridge, an important commuter route that carries South Capitol Street traffic over the Anacostia River will be shut down for July and August for a big reconstruction job. Drivers will be detoured north to the 11th Street Bridge. Just setting up the big traffic diversion is an interesting and ambitious goal, but that's nothing compared to the work itself: When the bridge reopens, drivers will be in for a very different experience. The northern part of the crossing will be cranked down to put nearly three blocks of the elevated roadway at street level. There will be a new intersection at Potomac Avenue. The District government wants to improve the appearance of one of the city's gateways, one that leads travelers north toward the U.S. Capitol, and to stitch together a neighborhood now divided by the elevated roadway. The big closing is scheduled for the summer when...
By | January 23, 2007; 05:26 PM ET | Comments (21)
Advisories for D.C. Drivers
Here are a couple of advisories for drivers in Northwest Washington: Beach Drive Closings: Rock Creek's Beach Drive between Tilden Street/Park Road and Blagden Avenue will be closed periodically between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. today and tomorrow because of a stream restoration project in the area. The construction involves landscaping and stone work adjacent to the Peirce Mill dam. Woodley Road Work: Washington National Cathedral wants to alert drivers to possible traffic disruptions related to construction of new parking garages. Two flaggers will control traffic in the 3600 block of Woodley Road, where traffic is restricted to one lane because of utility work. To limit the impact on drop-offs and pick-ups at the cathedral schools, the work is being done between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. On Saturday, that section of Woodley is scheduled to be closed between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to allow room for a large...
By | November 28, 2006; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (4)
Fixing Problem at Conn. Ave. Bridge
Several readers have been asking about a situation at the Klingle Bridge reconstruction area on Connecticut Avenue, and the District's Transportation Department had some news about this major commuter route. Dear Dr. Gridlock: A warning note to motorists traveling southbound on Connecticut Avenue near the Klingle Bridge project: DDOT has rerouted several southbound lanes of Connecticut Avenue just south of Klingle bridge. The city put up electronic lane markers above the street, which is helpful, but some motorists aren't seeing the traffic signals for the Kennedy-Warren apartment complex or the entrance for the National Zoo, which are at street level. This past weekend, I noticed several cars zoom through the intersection and a couple more drivers slam on their brakes to stop at the red lights between Devonshire and the pedestrian crossing for the zoo. Dan Crowe Cleveland Park DDOT plans to relocate the hanging lights so there is less...
By | November 14, 2006; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (3)
