Weekend road and rail: Holiday weekend limits work zones; upcoming Beltway repairs

This July 4th holiday weekend may see a slight uptick in pandemic-era travel, but nothing like our region has come to know in past years.

One thing that will be the same, however, will be reduced roadwork during a long holiday weekend.

There are a few long-term work zones to be aware of if you’re traveling this weekend and work zones that could impact your commute starting Monday.

Metro continues its summer platform work and the low ridership as expedited work continues with upcoming changes.

Roadwork

Maryland

The State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) has scheduled a new emergency work zone to begin Monday, July 6, on the I-495 Outer Loop to repair a damaged bridge joint over the Northwest Branch.

Commuters may recall the initial damage and response that spiked last week causing limited lanes of travel on the Outer Loop of the Capital Beltway between Md. 650 New Hampshire Avenue and Md. 193 University Boulevard.

In an early morning commute, it was discovered that the bridge joint had become exposed and caused damage to vehicles, which prompted response for a temporary fix.

On Monday, July 6, crews will return to perform permanent bridge joint repairs on the Outer Loop between Md. 650/New Hampshire Avenue and Md. 193/University Boulevard, with single to multiple lane closures expected daily between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., and overnight between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Maryland’s Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration expects repairs will hopefully be completed by mid-July. SHA is reminding drivers to prepare for delays with extra time for travel and planned alternate routes.

A $5.7 million safety and resurfacing project has begun on U.S. 29 (Colesville Road/Columbia Pike) in Silver Spring in a four-mile stretch between Stewart Lane and Sligo Creek Parkway.

The project, which is slated to be finished next summer, includes milling, patching, paving and restriping, along with guardrail replacements.

Also, the project will be upgrading curbs, drainage systems, sidewalks, ramps, traffic control signals and the installation of concrete bus pads.

There will be single lane closures daily between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., double lane closures between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. with weekends seeing one to two lanes intermittently closed.

And, as a reminder for travelers through Baltimore, I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Throughway) between the tunnels and Boston Street/O’Donnell Street (exit 11), the longstanding bridge rehabilitation project has the southbound bore of the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895) closed continuously until mid-June. Northbound will carry two-way traffic.

In Frederick, the total weekend closure of Md. 28/Dickerson Road over the Monocacy River continues for bridge rehabilitation.

On Friday at 10 p.m., closures and detours will be posted with flagging operations in place all other times through September.

Virginia

In Fairfax, I-66 westbound between I-495 and Nutley Street will be reduced to a single travel lane with stoppages of up to 20 minutes on Friday, July 3.

Crews will be shifting the travel lanes to create space for construction of the center bridge pier for the new Cedar Lane Bridge as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.

Friday, July 3:

• I-66 westbound between I-495 and Nutley Street will be reduced to one travel lane between 10 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.

• The ramps from I-495 Inner Loop and Outer Loop to westbound I-66 westbound will be reduced to one lane.

• Drivers should expect periodic 20-minute stoppages between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. as crews implement lane shifts.

• All lanes will reopen by 6:30 a.m. –– all work is weather dependent.

The Cedar Lane Bridge over I-66 has been demolished and is being reconstructed. The future Cedar Lane Bridge is scheduled to open in November 2020.

Here is a look at the closure area:

D.C.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will temporarily close lanes, ramps and shoulders on the following roadways to perform construction activities along and near the I-295 / DC 295 corridor. With a holiday break, starting Sunday evening, expect up to two lanes of travel closed through 5 a.m. Monday morning:

I-295 both directions between Laboratory Road / US Naval Research Lab (Exit 1) and I-695 to I-395 Downtown (Exit 5A)
South Capitol Street SE/SW between the Suitland Parkway SE and N Street SE
Firth Sterling Avenue, SE between South Capitol Street and Howard Road, SE
Potomac Avenue SE/SW between First Street SE and Second Street SW
Howard Road SE between Firth Sterling Avenue SE and the off-ramp from I-295 southbound

Various ramp closures can be expected:

Ramp from MLK Jr. Avenue to I-295 northbound is closed through Sunday.

And, from 6:00 pm through 5:00 am Monday, expect signed detours:

I-295 northbound off-ramp to westbound South Capitol Street / Nationals Park / Downtown (Exit 3B)
I-295 southbound off-ramp to Howard Road / Nationals Park (Exit 4B)
I-295 southbound off-ramp to Suitland Parkway / US Naval Station (Exit 4A)
I-295 southbound on-ramp from eastbound Suitland Parkway, SE

Metro

The summer shutdown and platform rehabilitation project continues as nine Metrorail stations on the Orange and Silver line remain closed. With no Silver Line trains, Orange Line trains operate between Ballston-MU and New Carrollton only.

All stations west of Ballston-MU are closed with stations between Ballston-MU and Largo Town Center being served by Orange and/or Blue Line trains.

Yellow and Green line customers should allow additional travel time through mid-July as Metro performs around-the-clock track work along segments of these lines, including 7-14 day closures of selected stations.

Beginning Monday, July 6, the Columbia Heights and Georgia Ave-Petworth stations will be closed through July 18, with buses replacing trains between U Street and Fort Totten (lower level) stations with stops at the Columbia Heights and Georgia Ave-Petworth stations.

Yellow Line trains will operate between Huntington and U Street only, and riders should consider the Red Line as an alternate traveling between Fort Totten and Gallery Place-Chinatown.