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Heading on the road or using Metro around the D.C. area? Here’s what to know this weekend.
There will be a shutdown for the Blue Line this weekend in preparation for a new rehabilitation project. An extensive sign project will continue into next week for Interstate 395/I-695 SE/SW Freeway.
And, on Interstate 66, the overnight diversion and stoppage projects from this week continue into the weekend.
Roadwork
DC
The District Department of Transportation has plans that will temporarily close lanes, ramps and shoulders for replacement of signage and sign structures along the I-395 corridor as part of the I-395 Sign Structure Improvement Project.
The work planned for this weekend, weather permitting, will continue during off-peak hours into next week. There will be lane and ramp closures at the following locations:
- I-695 westbound through Center Leg Freeway (3rd Street Tunnel) — right lane blocked
- I-395/I-695 northbound/eastbound between 7th Street and Center Leg Freeway — right lane blocked
- I-395 northbound ramp to Center Leg Freeway closed
- Southbound 3rd Street Tunnel left lane blocked
- I-395 south between the 3rd Street Tunnel and Maine Avenue SW — two left lanes closed
- Ramps closed — C Street SW and Washington Avenue to I-695 East, I-395 North to C Street SW, ramps from 9th Street Tunnel to I-395 Northbound/I-695 Eastbound
The closures from I-395 SW Freeway to access C Street SW will be posted during the signage work. Drivers should expect delays and plan for extra time.
During this project, drivers can expect detours from the 9th Street Tunnel trying to access I-395/I-695 with detours posted.
This signage improvement project is focused on replacing and repairing existing sign structures along the I-395 corridor, which includes installing overhead traffic guide signs, electrical systems and lighting fixtures between the 12th Street Expressway and D Street SW.
Virginia
Drivers had to detour along I-66 and the Route 50 Fairfax interchange this week, and that continues into the weekend. This is all part of the ongoing, ever-changing I-66 Transforms Outside the Beltway Project.
This bridge beam installation project sees travel on I-66 to and passing Route 50 in Fairfax reduced to a single lane, with westbound overnight closures and detours. All westbound lanes of I-66 are closed and detour to Route 50 between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. nightly through 6 a.m. Saturday.
The detour will send drivers from westbound I-66 to westbound Route 50 to West Ox Road south to ride the ramps back to westbound I-66.
During this time, the ramp from Route 50 westbound to I-66 westbound will be closed and detoured. The ramp from I-66 West to eastbound Route 50 will be closed and detoured too.
As per VDOT, multiple ramp closures are planned nightly. Drivers traveling on I-66 during this time should expect delays and consider alternate routes with all work being weather dependent.
In Vienna, the work on I-66 nightly between Nutley Street and Gallows Road sees travel reduced to a single lane each way with full stops of up to 20 minutes at a time between midnight and 4 a.m. This is all due to the bridge work at the Cedar Lane Bridge, just west of the Capital Beltway.
The work is all weather dependent and is scheduled nightly into Saturday morning.
In Fairfax, a new temporary ramp from I-66 West to Nutley Street was scheduled to open Sunday. This new ramp will have drivers heading to southbound Nutley Street using a temporary traffic signal to turn left onto Nutley Street.
Postponed (1/29/21): Due to inclement weather forecasted to begin this weekend, opening of the modified ramp from I-66 West to Nutley Street is being delayed until next weekend.
The current ramp from I-66 West to Nutley Street will be closed between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. next weekend, with the new ramp scheduled to open.
There is a new overnight work project going into place to include temporary lane and ramp closures from I-495 South to I-66 West, which will continue into mid-March.
This work, which was to begin on or about Thursday, will see the ramp from the I-495 Outer Loop southbound to westbound I-66 reduced to a single lane with complete ramp closure nightly between 10:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. to implement the travel shift.
Maryland
In Montgomery County, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration has begun a new surface improvement project on the Beltway during off-peak hours.
This project, scheduled through February, is for the Outer Loop between MD-185/Connecticut Avenue and MD-191/Bradley Boulevard, just east of the I-270 spur. Drivers can expect single to multiple lanes closed between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., which is weather dependent as well.
There will still be work through the fall on the Beltway between Georgia and Connecticut avenues during off-peak hours.
With the ongoing bridge rehabilitation project, crews are permitted daily lane closures, and nightly triple lane closures with full stops are possible, scheduled Sunday through Thursday 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
This same off-peak work is scheduled through the end of the year for I-95/I-495 Beltway and the ongoing bridge replacement in Prince George’s County.
This work sees single to double lane closures on the Beltway between Pennsylvania Avenue and Allentown Road/Joint Base AAF nightly and continuing into the weekend between 6 p.m. and 11 a.m., weather permitting.
On I-270, there is an additional traffic-relief project continuing, which is scheduled through the spring. This work stems anywhere from I-70 to the Beltway during off-peak hours, with single to triple lane closures possible.
During any overnight lane closures, drivers could see temporary ramp closures and detours posted.
Metro
There will be weekend general enhanced and preventive maintenance continuing on three lines. There will be stations closed and a Blue Line shutdown, plus Metro said that trains and buses would be operating on a moderate snow plan Sunday due to anticipated snow.
The Arlington Cemetery station will be closed for platform work and signal upgrades close the Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations. Trains will be bypassing the closed Addison Road station on a single track due to platform rehabilitation.
Metrorail will operate on normal weekend hours from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Sunday with no service on the Blue Line.
Trains will serve 87 of 91 stations running normal service frequencies on the Red, Orange, Silver, and Green lines and scheduled service adjustments on the Yellow Line.
Due to site preparation for a platform improvement project, there will be no Blue Line service. For travel between Virginia and D.C., riders should use the Yellow Line, and for service between D.C. and Prince George’s County riders should use the Silver Line.
Weekend service summary
Red Line: Trains every 12-15 minutes.
Blue Line No service.
- Blue Line stations will be served by the Orange, Silver or Yellow lines instead.
- Free shuttle buses provided to/from Arlington Cemetery.
- Free shuttle buses between Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn St and Eisenhower Ave; and free express shuttles between Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon stations.
Orange Line: Trains every 15—20 minutes.
Silver Line: Trains every 15—20 minutes.
- Addison Road station closed. Trains will single track through the station without stopping.
Green Line: Trains every 15-20 minutes.
Yellow Line: Trains every 20 minutes
- Trains will single track between Pentagon City and L’Enfant Plaza.
For your safety and the safety of others, customers are required to wear face coverings or masks while traveling on Metro.
WTOP’s Matt Small contributed to this report.
