Dave Dildine, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - The days of easy summer commuting are over.

The rush hours following Labor Day are notorious for featuring a resurgence of highway volume as kids go back to school and summer vacations draw to a close.

While many Washingtonians have come to expect the onslaught of heavy traffic, many insist that delays are worse now than ever before.

"Traffic in September - it happens every year. The pattern is predictable, but the degree has increased over the years," says WTOP Traffic reporter Bob Marbourg.

Although there is little doubt that highway volumes have increased throughout the metro area over time, Marbourg explains there are several elements that contribute to the perception of a worsening of traffic congestion.

"Over the summer people may change where they live, their workplace may move and so often they are coming from new directions on new routes, and it does take some getting used to," he says.

Data compiled for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments bear this out.

The average daily delay per traveler dropped by 18 percent between June 2011 and July 2011 (25.1 minutes to 20.6 minutes). In September 2011, the average daily delay per traveler shot up nearly 27 percent between August and September (20.4 minutes to 25.8 minutes).

Obviously, many people in the Washington area have much longer commutes that can stretch into hours.

The report breaks down a wide range of travel issues, including where the worst traffic occurs.

In addition to societal shifts, Marbourg also indicates that delays in autumn form due to environmental changes.

"In the fall, if you live west of your workplace, you're driving into the sunshine on your way to work and heading into the sunset on your way home," he says.

"With the sun lower on the horizon, it's going to be squarely in your eyes and in the eyes of the driver ahead of you."

WTOP Traffic reporter Bob Immler frequently witnesses an overlap between waning rush hour volumes and newly generated congestion caused by overnight construction.

"We have all the work zones out there on the Beltway in Maryland and Virginia and this too is making it seem worse than in past years," Immler says.

WTOP Traffic Director Jim Battagliese says that the worst is yet to come.

"The reality is summer's over. We're back to our normal winter driving patterns," he says.

And this means having to adjust to the night sky.

"Just wait until the end of daylight saving time when we'll be driving home in the dark," Battagliese says.

"It's going to get really bad because for that first week, people have to readjust to driving with their headlights on."

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Amy Freedman, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Dulles Airport Access Highway's new eastbound ramp, which leads to the Beltway's Inner and Outer Loops, opened on Saturday, Sept. 8.

The ramp provides a safer and more convenient direct connection to the Beltway.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Amy Freedman, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - The National Park Service will be closing Beach Drive from West Beach Drive in Northwest D.C. to the Maryland state line daily from Tuesday to Thursday, Sept. 11 to 13.

The closures will take place between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in order to facilitate tree trimming and related activities.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Amy Freedman, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Pennsylvania Avenue in Northwest D.C. will be closed between 13th and 14th streets for events surrounding the National Day of Service and Remembrance Tuesday, Sept. 11.

The closure will begin at 7 a.m. and continue through 7 p.m., potentially affecting both morning and evening rush hours.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Tim Bracken, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Traveling in the District could be a nightmare this weekend. Major track work is set to cause massive delays, Washington Nationals games are scheduled and a trio of footraces will close several major roadways and streets in the District, Arlington and Montgomery County.

Several festivals are also scheduled, including the Takoma Park Folk Festival, the Rosslyn Jazz Festival, Adams Morgan Day and the Alexandria King Street Festival.

Read on for the details, and have a great weekend!

Metro track work

Major delays are expected on the Red Line this weekend with multiple station closures. The Orange and Yellow lines will have some single tracking as well.

All work will start at 10 p.m. Friday and continue through system closing on Sunday.

There is no scheduled track work on the Blue Line, but keep in mind that trains will operate every 16 minutes throughout the weekend to avoid conflicts with Orange and Yellow line trains.

Here's the latest from Metro:

Red Line

• Red Line trains will operate between 2 sections: Between Shady Grove and Dupont Circle stations, and between Glenmont and NoMa-Gallaudet U stations.
• Trains will run every 10 minutes between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., and at regular weekend intervals at other times.
• Free shuttle buses will replace Red Line trains between Dupont Circle and NoMa-Gallaudet U stations.
• Dupont Circle will be open for rail service to/from Shady Grove only.
• Farragut North, Judiciary Square, and Union Station will all be closed.
• Metro Center will be open for Blue/Orange line service only.The station entrances at 11th & G St NW and 13th & G St NW will be closed. The entrances at 12th & G St NW and 12th & F St NW will remain open.
• Gallery Place will be open for Green/Yellow line service only. The station entrance at 9th & G St NW will be closed. The entrances at 7th & H St NW and 7th & F St NW will remain open.
• NoMa-Gallaudet U will be open for rail service to/from Glenmont only.

Limited stop buses will operate between Dupont Circle, Metro Center, Gallery Place and NoMa-Gallaudet U stations only. Local buses will stop at all stations. Major delays are expected.

Orange Line

• Trains will be single tracking between East Falls Church and West Falls Church.
• More single tracking between Stadium-Armory and Cheverly.
• Orange Line trains will operate every 24 minutes throughout the weekend.

Yellow Line

• Trains will single track between Huntington and Braddock Road.
• Yellow Line trains will operate every 16 minutes between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Square only.
• Customers traveling to/from stations north of Mt. Vernon Square should use Green Line trains to complete their trip.

New York Avenue lane closure

Scheduled for Saturday between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m., one single lane will be open on both sides of New York Avenue between Florida Avenue and 4th Street NE. Delays are expected.

Beltway construction update

Overnight paving continues on both loops of the Capital Beltway between I-66 and Georgetown Pike. Expect a minimum of two lanes getting by between 9:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. After midnight, temporary total closures are possible for up to 30 minutes at a time.

Telegraph Road interchange closures

Construction activity is scheduled for the Capital Beltway/Telegraph Road interchange this weekend, so watch out for delays near the Wilson Bridge.

The ramps from both directions of Telegraph Road to the Beltway Outer Loop will be closed starting at 9 p.m. Friday and continuing through 9 p.m. Saturday.

Drivers are advised to use Huntington Avenue and Route 1 to access the Outer Loop.

Adams Morgan Day Festival

The Adams Morgan Day Festival is scheduled for Saturday between noon and 7 p.m.

Watch for street closures to begin around 4 a.m. Several streets will be affected in Adams Morgan between 16th Street and Columbia Road NW.

Arlington Police, Fire, & Sheriff 9-11 Memorial 5k

The 9-11 Memorial 5k is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, and the following streets will be closed in Arlington between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.:

• Army Navy Drive closed between S. Fern Street and S. 12th Street.
• S 12th Street closed between Army Navy Drive and Crystal Drive.
• Crystal Drive closed between 23rd Street and 12th Street.
• The Pentagon south parking area will have closures, watch for police direction.
• Watch out for temporary "No Parking" signs near the race route.

Nation's Triathlon

The 2012 Nation's Triathlon is scheduled for Sunday between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Traffic will be affected from Georgetown to the Tidal Basin.

The following closures will be in effect on Sunday:

• Whitehurst Freeway closed between 6 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
• Clara Barton Parkway to Caderock closed between 6 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
• Canal Road closed from M Street to Clara Barton Parkway between 6 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
• The length of the Rock Creek Parkway will have multiple closures in both directions between 6 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
• 27th Street NW between K Street and Virginia Avenue between 6 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
• 23rd Street NW closed between Memorial Circle and Independence Avenue between 6 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
• 15th Street closed between Independence Avenue and Constitution Avenue between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Independence Ave closed between the Rock Creek Parkway and 15th Street NW between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Maine Avenue closed between 15th Street and Ohio Drive between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Ohio Drive closed around Potomac Park between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The Parks Half-Marathon

The marathon is scheduled for the morning of Sunday, Sept. 9 in Montgomery County. The marathon's website offers additional tips and advice for motorists navigating each of the following affected roads:

• Stonestreet Avenue in Rockville will be closed for pre-race activities from 4 to 7:15 a.m.
• The rightmost lane of Veirs Mill Road in the south and eastbound directions will be closed from 6:50 to 7:35 a.m. This closure affects the section between 355 and Aspen Hill Road. Additional roads that cross Veirs Mill Road will also be affected, with more specific details available on the marathon's website.
• Randolf Road will be closed at the Rock Creek Bike path just west of Dewey Road from 7:15 to 7:59 a.m.
• Garret Park Road will be closed at the Rock Creek Bike path from 7:25 to 8:13 a.m.
• Wexford Road will be closed at the Rock Creek Bike path and Beach Drive from 7:28 to 8:19 a.m.
• Knowles Ave will be closed at the Rock Creek Bike path and Beach Drive from 7:30 to 8:20 a.m.
• Beach Drive will be closed at Grosvenor Lane from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m.
• Beach Drive will be closed at Franklin Street from 7:35 to 8:35 a.m.
• Cedar Lane will be closed at the Rock Creek Bike path just south of Beach Drive from 7:40 to 8:46 a.m.
• Parts of Beach Drive will be closed between Connecticut Avenue and Old Spring Road from 7:40 to 9:13 a.m. at intersections with the Rock Creek Bike path south of Connecticut Avenue and north of Old Spring Road.
• Stanhope Road will be closed at the Rock Creek Bike path and Beach Drive from 7:44 to 8:58 a.m.
• Kensington Parkway will be closed at the Rock Creek Bike path just north of Beach Drive from 7:44 to 8:58 a.m.
• Jones Mill Road will be closed at the Rock Creek Bike path just south of Forsynthia Road and the I-495 overpass from 7:45 to 9:13 a.m.
• The northbound lane of Jones Mill Road will be closed north of Jones Mill Road from 7:50 to 9:25 a.m.
• The eastbound lanes of Jones Bridge Road will be closed at the intersection with Jones Mill Road from 7:50 to 9:25 a.m.
• One lane of Susanna Lane off of Jones Mill Road will be closed from 7:50 to 9:25 a.m.
• Connecticut Avenue will be closed in Bethesda at the intersection with the Georgetown Branch trail, between Chevy Chase Lake Drive and Manor Road, from 8 to 9:37 a.m.
• The southbound lanes of Connecticut Avenue will be closed to thru traffic (local traffic only) at the intersection with Jones Bridge Road from 8 to 9:37 a.m.
• The northbound lanes of Connecticut Avenue will be closed to thru traffic (local traffic only) at the intersection with Jones Bridge Road from 8 to 9:37 a.m.
• Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda, between Hampden Lane and Bethesda Avenue, will be closed from 5 to 11:05 a.m. for finish area activities.
• Elm Street will be closed at the intersection with Woodmont Avenue from 5 to 11:05 a.m. for finish area activities.

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(.Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved)

WASHINGTON - Drivers in D.C. might want to slow down a tad as ticketing at new speed camera locations took effect on Monday.

The cameras, installed at 11 new locations, began sending out warnings on Aug. 1. Now, drivers will be fined between $75 and $250 for speeding infractions, depending on how fast they're going.

Here are the new locations:

• 200 block of 17th St NE southbound
• 1800 block of Harvard St NW northwest-bound
• 1700 block of North Portal Dr. NW southwest-bound
• 700 block of Franklin St NE westbound
• 1400 block of New York Ave NE northeast-bound
• 3700 block of Massachusetts Ave SE southeast-bound
• 4300 block of Texas Ave SE southbound
• 4800 block of Texas Ave SE northbound
• DC 295 0.4 miles south of Burroughs Ave NE southbound
• 2200 block of K Street NW westbound
• 400 block of Riggs Road NE northbound

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Amy Freedman, wtop.com

Dulles Corridor Metrorail project crews will shift the eastbound lanes of Route 7 near the Dulles Toll Road to their final configuration. The work begins Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 9 p.m. and will last until 5 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 6.

The through lanes of Route 7 will shift south approximately 40 feet, between the Dulles Toll Road overpass and the ramp from eastbound Route 267 onto eastbound Route 7. Some additional paving will be required after the lanes have been shifted.

Police will be on site to manage traffic.

Tim Bracken, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - The good news about this Labor Day weekend is that major construction zones will be lifted in Virginia and Maryland. Metro travelers won't get a break, though. Expect delays on the Red, Orange, and Blue lines.

The Metro track work could cause delays for those headed to the Nationals baseball games, so be sure to check WMATA.com for service delay updates before you head out.

If you're traveling over the holiday weekend, give yourself plenty of extra time, monitor traffic reports and plan an alternate route ahead of time.

Keep in mind that the Grand Prix is under way in Baltimore, and could cause delays on Interstate 95 near the city due to downtown street closures.

Another hotspot for traffic headaches is the I-95 corridor in Virginia. Unfortunately, the only real alternative for delays south of the Capital Beltway is Route 1, which stacks up quickly whenever a new incident occurs.

On Monday, HOV restrictions will be lifted in Virginia.

If you're staying home for the weekend, there are lots of cool events, including Abbey Road on the River, a new exhibit opening at the National Zoo and the D.C. Blues Festival.

Other transit

MARC and VRE trains will not run Sunday.

Other area transit systems will follow their regular Sunday schedules.

Parking

Montgomery County, Alexandria, Arlington and the District are offering free parking at metered spaces.

However DC Parking Enforcement will be ticketing in the area around Nationals Park.

Metro track work

Previously scheduled closures on the Green and Yellow lines may have been cancelled, but the rest of the Metro rail system will be in for big delays this weekend. Here's the update from Metro:

Red Line

• Trains will single-track between Rhode Island Avenue and Fort Totten.

• Throughout the weekend, Red Line trains will operate between Shady Grove and Glenmont every 15 minutes in each direction.

• On Saturday and Sunday between 9:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., additional trains will operate between Shady Grove and NoMa-Gallaudet U stations, providing service an average of every seven to eight minutes between these stations.

Orange Line

• Trains will single-track between between Stadium-Armory and Cheverly.

• Throughout the weekend, Orange Line trains will operate every 20 minutes in each direction.

Blue Line

• Trains will single-track between Arlington Cemetery and Foggy Bottom.

• Throughout the weekend, Blue Line trains will operate every 20 minutes in each direction.

Metro hours for the holiday weekend

• Friday, Aug. 31 - 5 a.m. until 3 a.m.

• Saturday, Sept. 1 - 7 a.m. until 3 a.m.

• Sunday, Sept. 2 - 7 a.m. until midnight

• Monday, Sept. 3 (Labor Day) - 7 a.m. until midnight

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Amy Freedman, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Due to inclement weather on Sunday August 25, the VDOT closures scheduled to take place this past weekend will take place on Monday August 26.

Beginning at 9:30 p.m. until 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, one or more lanes will be closed on I-66 at the Beltway.

Also, the ramp from the Inner Loop to I-66 west, exit 49, will be closed. Traffic will be directed to continue south to Little River Turnpike, exit 52B and follow signs to I-66 west. The Outer Loop ramp to I-66 WB will have one lane closed.

Also on the Outer Loop south of Route 7 to Route 50 Arlington Blvd, three right lanes will be closed for paving.

These closures are part of the 495 Express Lanes project.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Amy Freedman, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - VDOT will close multiple lanes on I-95/395 in both directions between Garrisonville Rd/Route 610 at Exit 143 and Duke Street/Route 236 at Exit 3.

The lanes will be closed Sunday, Aug. 26 through Thursday, Aug. 30 from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. each day.

This work is in addition to nightly HOV lane closures for the new I-95 Express Lanes Project.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)