An improvement project begins on Maryland’s River Road. Virginia Route 28 has new bridge beams being installed. Reconstruction of the New York and New Jersey Avenues intersection in D.C. continues, and there will be closures on Metro’s Red Line.
Here are the road and rail projects that could affect your weekend commute in the D.C. area.
Roadwork
Maryland
In Bethesda, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration started a new safety improvement project along River Road.
The new $1.9 million roadway project on Md. 190/River Road is between the Braeburn Parkway and Pyle Road.
The project — set to improve traffic operations and safety for pedestrians and motorists for this 1/3 mile segment — should be completed for the spring of 2021.
For crews to perform all phases of the work, they will have single-lane closures daily between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., with multiple lane closures scheduled for the overnight hours.
Additional work times and lane closures are possible to keep the project on schedule and, as always, all work is weather dependent.
There will be tree removal within the projected work area as part of the safety improvements.
There may be some temporary sidewalk closures with detours provided to the safest nearby crossings.
Improvements include the following:
- New traffic signals on Md. 190/River Road at Braeburn Parkway;
- Channelized islands to prohibit through- and left-turn movements from Braeburn Parkway onto River Road;
- Pedestrian-activated, full-color traffic signals both ways on River Road, in the vicinity of Pyle Road;
- Relocation of the pedestrian crossing on westbound River Road, closer to Walt Whitman High School;
- New Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalk connections to existing sidewalks.
Virginia
In Centreville, Virginia Route 28 in will be reduced to one lane during the overnight hours through next week. These closures will be needed for bridge beam installation for the Braddock/Walney Road bridge.
Beginning overnights for the next week, from about 9 p.m. through 5 a.m., drivers can expect two-way traffic to be running on northbound Route 28 in order to safely install the bridge beams over the southbound lanes.
During this time, the ramps from southbound Route 28 to I-66 will be closed, along with the ramp from Interstate 66 east to northbound Route 28 and Braddock Road near Route 28.
Traffic will be detoured farther south to southbound U.S. 29 to follow the signs for westbound I-66 making a left at the traffic signal to access I-66.
Drivers should factor in extra time traveling through this area.
Travel details include the following:
- The right-most lanes of Route 28 south and left-most lanes of northbound Route 28 will be closed between E.C. Lawrence Park Athletic Fields and U.S. 29/Lee Highway beginning around 9 p.m.
- Around 10 p.m., southbound Route 28 approaching Braddock Road will be narrowed to a single left lane. Traffic will cross through a gap in the median barrier to continue south on the northbound Route 28 side of the roadway remaining in this pattern until south of I-66. Southbound traffic will then cross back over to the Route 28 south side of the roadway and resume normal travel.
- Traffic on northbound Route 28 approaching I-66 will be narrowed to a single right lane and remain until past Braddock Road/Walney Road. Northbound travel will return to normal following the point where southbound traffic crosses over to northbound Route 28.
- Between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., two-way traffic on Route 28 north will be separated by barrels and one closed travel lane.
- State police will be on-site to assist with traffic control and response.
- All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. daily.
During this time, Braddock Road will be closed between Newton Patent Drive and Route 28. Motorists will be directed to Westfields Boulevard to access Braddock Road and/or Route 28.
Braddock and Walney Roads are connected via a new overpass with direct ramp access to Route 28 and the future I-66 Express Lanes.
The general purpose lanes are part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.
The project includes removal of the traffic signals on Route 28 between Westfields Boulevard and U.S. 29 by the end of 2020.
Drivers should expect more closures, stoppages and detours on Route 28 in the weeks ahead for additional bridge beams installations.
There will be message boards on I-66 and Route 28 to provide advance notice of lane closures and traffic stoppages.
Significant transformation project traffic impacts include the following on I-66 east between Monument Drive and Jermantown Road:
- I-66 east will be reduced to one travel lane approaching Waples Mill Road from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- On Saturday and Sunday mornings, lane closures will continue until 6 a.m.
- Drivers should expect periodic stoppages for crews to lift bridge beams into place.
- All lanes will reopen by 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
- Paving on I-66 west in Prince William County, on Route 28 north in Centreville, and on I-66 east and west in Vienna.
All work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled if inclement conditions occur.
DC
In Northwest, the District Department of Transportation is planning overnight closures and detours of northbound New Jersey Avenue for necessary construction associated with the safety improvements project, which includes reconstruction of the New York and New Jersey avenues intersection.
The work is scheduled to begin on or about 9:30 p.m. Friday and continue through 6 p.m. on Saturday, weather permitting.
The northbound traffic on New Jersey Avenue will be restricted to through-traffic only across the New York Avenue intersection. All northbound traffic needing to access New York Avenue will be detoured at K and L streets and on eastbound/outbound New York Avenue, the right turn lane will be closed.
Metro
On the Red Line, buses will replace trains through this weekend between Grosvenor-Strathmore and Friendship Heights stations, with the Medical Center and Bethesda stations closed.
During this work — which is scheduled through Aug. 14 — there will be free shuttle service schedule to make stops at the aforementioned stations.
The summer platform rehabilitation project and shutdown continues with nine Metrorail stations on the Orange and Silver line.
With no Silver Line trains, Orange Line trains operate between Ballston-MU and New Carrollton only and all stations west of Ballston-MU remain closed.
Stations between Ballston-MU and Largo Town Center continue to be served by Orange and/or Blue Line trains.
Metrobus continues to operate from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. on a modified Sunday schedule.
Metro customers are required to wear face coverings when riding mass transit.
