![Southwest Freeway traffic at 9th Street tunnel](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/01_SWFrwy.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![Southwest Freeway traffic merge](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/01B_SWFrwy2.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![George Washington Parkway](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/02_14th.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![I-395 Express Lanes to the I-395 South
Commuters on I-395 and I-95 have had to adjust to new rules since the I-95 Express Lanes opened in late December. It took only a couple weeks for these drivers to discover an unexpected consequence of the highway's geometry at the northern end of the facility.
When carpool restrictions on the I-395 HOV Highway are lifted at 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, volume increases in the lanes as opportunistic drivers seek refuge from normal rush hour congestion. When these southbound drivers reach the I-95 Express Lanes south of Duke Street, many are unable or unwilling to pay the tolls and bailout out onto the mainline highway. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/03_I-395Express.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![I-395 Express Lanes to the I-395 South (cont...)
The ramp from the express lanes to the main lanes injects a steady stream of traffic back into the main lanes toward Edsall Road before and after HOV restrictions are in effect. The result is severe congestion for drivers on the mainline highway during the 3 p.m. hour and 6 p.m. hour on weekdays. Congestion has formed on weekends as well.
The Virginia Department of Transportation plans to construct a fourth through lane on southbound I-395 between Duke Street and Edsall Road to alleviate this bottleneck. To date, only a portion of this project has been funded. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/03B_I-395Express2.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![New Hampshire Ave. traffic merge sign](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/04_NewHampshire.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/05_PStreet.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![George Washington Parkway merge to I-495](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/06_GWNB.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![I-66 traffic](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/07_I-66.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![Traffic is seen on Memorial Circle to George Washington Parkway South. The ramp from Arlington Memorial Circle to the southbound George Washington Parkway involves a blood-curdling left-merge. A difficult approach angle and no acceleration room have led to repeated close-calls and fender-benders. The merge is located across from Lady Bird Johnson Park and north of the Columbia Island Marina. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/08_GWSB.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![Kenilworth Avenue to U.S. 50 East](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/09_MD201.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![Md. 32 at I-95 merge](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/10_MD-32.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![I-495 Capital Beltway traffic construction congestion](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/11_MD-355.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![I-95 at Va. 123 North traffic](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/12_I-95.jpg)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
![Southwest Freeway traffic at 9th Street tunnel](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/01_SWFrwy-260x174.jpg)
![Southwest Freeway traffic merge](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/01B_SWFrwy2-260x174.jpg)
![George Washington Parkway](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/02_14th-260x174.jpg)
![I-395 Express Lanes to the I-395 South
Commuters on I-395 and I-95 have had to adjust to new rules since the I-95 Express Lanes opened in late December. It took only a couple weeks for these drivers to discover an unexpected consequence of the highway's geometry at the northern end of the facility.
When carpool restrictions on the I-395 HOV Highway are lifted at 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, volume increases in the lanes as opportunistic drivers seek refuge from normal rush hour congestion. When these southbound drivers reach the I-95 Express Lanes south of Duke Street, many are unable or unwilling to pay the tolls and bailout out onto the mainline highway. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/03_I-395Express-260x174.jpg)
![I-395 Express Lanes to the I-395 South (cont...)
The ramp from the express lanes to the main lanes injects a steady stream of traffic back into the main lanes toward Edsall Road before and after HOV restrictions are in effect. The result is severe congestion for drivers on the mainline highway during the 3 p.m. hour and 6 p.m. hour on weekdays. Congestion has formed on weekends as well.
The Virginia Department of Transportation plans to construct a fourth through lane on southbound I-395 between Duke Street and Edsall Road to alleviate this bottleneck. To date, only a portion of this project has been funded. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/03B_I-395Express2-260x174.jpg)
![New Hampshire Ave. traffic merge sign](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/04_NewHampshire-260x174.jpg)
![](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/05_PStreet-260x174.jpg)
![George Washington Parkway merge to I-495](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/06_GWNB-260x174.jpg)
![I-66 traffic](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/07_I-66-260x174.jpg)
![Traffic is seen on Memorial Circle to George Washington Parkway South. The ramp from Arlington Memorial Circle to the southbound George Washington Parkway involves a blood-curdling left-merge. A difficult approach angle and no acceleration room have led to repeated close-calls and fender-benders. The merge is located across from Lady Bird Johnson Park and north of the Columbia Island Marina. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/08_GWSB-260x174.jpg)
![Kenilworth Avenue to U.S. 50 East](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/09_MD201-260x174.jpg)
![Md. 32 at I-95 merge](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/10_MD-32-260x174.jpg)
![I-495 Capital Beltway traffic construction congestion](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/11_MD-355-260x174.jpg)
![I-95 at Va. 123 North traffic](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/12_I-95-260x174.jpg)