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A few changes are in store for the Frederick Douglass Bridge project with the Interstate I-295 rehabilitation construction closures continuing into this weekend. Interstate 66 will continue to transform this weekend with stops, shifts and ramp closures. Bridge work continues on the Beltway this weekend and Metro has another Blue Line shutdown.
Here’s what you need to know before hitting the road this weekend.
Roadwork
Virginia
As we find ourselves in the heart of winter, you can expect to see a few changes in the scheduling of the I-66 Transforms Outside the Beltway Project, but the song remains the same with a chance for stops, ramp changes and the like in the ever-changing landscape of construction — weather dependent of course.
A ramp project that was scheduled last weekend is on the docket for this Sunday for the I-66 ramp to Nutley Street.
There is a project that was rescheduled due to the winter weather we saw last week which is set to continue into this weekend for bridge beam lifts at the I-66/US-50 interchange in Fairfax.
Overnights on I-66 the travel is being reduced to a single lane at Route 50 beginning Friday night and continue nightly through the weekend.
Two-way traffic is expected to run on the westbound side in a single lane in each direction so that crews can safely install bridge beams over the eastbound side.
With this work, Route 50 east at I-66 is reduced to a single travel lane too, with full stops planned each night and multiple ramp closures at the interchange.
Drivers during this time should expect delays and should consider using alternate routes and remember that all work is subject to change being weather dependent.
This work overnight, which is scheduled through this weekend, is nightly between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. (from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Friday night and 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Saturday night).
The two-way travel pattern on I-66 west will be separated by traffic barrels with state police on-site to assist with traffic control and response.
Route 50 east will be reduced to one travel lane approaching I-66 between 10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. (to 6 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday). Drivers here should expect periodic stoppages of up to 20 minutes between 10:30 p.m. and 5 a.m. (from 11 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. on Friday night and from 11 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Saturday night).
Bridge demolition work continues at the I-66/US-29 interchange in Centreville. Here nightly, crews have been demolishing the old I-66 bridge piers and abutments, which requires Route 29 (Lee Highway) north to be reduced to a single lane.
This continues in the overnight hours through Saturday through 8 a.m., weather permitting. During this time, there will be overnight work on I-66 westbound passing US-29 in Centreville reduced to two lanes of travel to implement a shift.
Crews are continuing to do bridge work at the Cedar Lane Bridge, between the Beltway and Nutley Street, overnight travel on I-66 is being reduced to a single lane of travel with periodic stops of up to 20 minutes at a time. This work is scheduled to continue nightly into 5 a.m. Saturday morning, weather permitting.
Continuing farther west on I-66 toward Nutley Street, there will only be two lanes available with barrier shift work overnight.
In Fairfax County, the new temporary ramp from I-66 west to Nutley Street was rescheduled and projected for opening this Sunday. This new ramp will have drivers heading to southbound Nutley Street using a temporary traffic signal to turn left onto Nutley Street.
Expected to be rescheduled from last weekend, the current ramp from I-66 West to Nutley Street will be closed between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. this weekend with the new ramp scheduled to open on or about Sunday afternoon.
Maryland
In Montgomery County, The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) has a resurfacing project continuing on US-29/Colesville Road between St. Andrews Way to Stewart Lane with single daytime lane closures between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and double lane closures overnights Sunday through Thursday, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
This project is being scheduled through the end of the year.
Motorists will find resurfacing work on the Beltway during off peak hours too, which is scheduled through February for the Outer Loop of I-495 Capital Beltway between MD-185 Connecticut Avenue to just east of the I-270 Spur.
Here, there continues to be single to multiple lanes closed between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., weather permitting.
The work on the Beltway between Georgia Avenue and Connecticut Avenue continues during off-peak hours with a bridge rehabilitation projected, crews are permitted daily lane closures, and nightly triple lane closures with full stops possible, scheduled Sunday through Thursday 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Look for this same type of bridge replacement work on I-95/I-495 Capital Beltway in Prince George’s County. This work has single to double lane closures between Pennsylvania Avenue and the Allentown Road/Joint Base Andrews nightly and continuing into the weekend between 6 p.m. and 11 a.m., weather permitting.
In Calvert County, MDOT SHA will be extending the closure of MD-216 in North Beach for continued utility relocation on Bayside Avenue between 9th Street and the Anne Arundel County line. They have determined that additional time is needed to complete the bridge redesign.
With winter weather and schedule variations, the new estimated opening will be some time in March.
DC
There have been nightly closures along I-295 for various lanes and ramps, which continue through this weekend as long as the weather cooperates.
As part of the I-295 Improvement Project, motorists see closures daily between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. and overnights between 8 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on I-295 between Laboratory Road/US Naval Research Lab (Exit 1) and I-695.
Motorists can expect various lane closures along South Capitol Street SE/SW between Firth Sterling Avenue SE and N Street SE, and on Suitland Parkway SE between the Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE overpass and South Capitol Street SE between 9:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. the following morning.
Daily and nightly single lane closures occur anytime on Firth Sterling Avenue SE, Potomac Avenue SE/SW, Half Street SW, Howard Road SE, Barry Road SE, St. Elizabeths Avenue SE, Malcolm X Avenue SE and South Capitol Street SE/SW.
The following full ramp closures will occur daily and nightly as well:
- Exit 4 from I-295 Southbound (South Capitol Street/Suitland Parkway)
- I-295 Northbound On-ramp from northbound Firth Sterling Avenue SE
- Ramp from MLK Jr. Avenue to I-295 Northbound (continuously)
There continues to be overnight closures and detours of northbound South Capitol Street, SE between Firth Sterling Avenue and the Suitland Parkway. This road is closed and detoured nightly and will continue through this weekend.
This weekend will see a change to part of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge Project.
Beginning Saturday there will be a closure of the pedestrian and bicycle path and sidewalk on the bridge that connects the westside of South Capitol Street, SW between Firth Sterling and Potomac Avenues.
This will be a permanent closure with the sidewalk and trail using temporary facilities on the east side of the bridge.
Metro
This weekend sees the preventive maintenance project implementing another Blue Line shutdown that will take place between Franconia-Springfield and King Street-Old Town for a signal system upgrade.
During this time there will be free shuttle service provided with the Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations closed.
There will be fire system upgrades for the Green and Yellow lines too, which will see late night single tracking this weekend 10 p.m.
Metrorail operates on normal weekend hours from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Sunday, serving 89 of 91 stations with normal weekend service for the Red, Orange and Silver Lines.
Weekend service summary:
- Red Line: trains every 12-15 minutes.
- Blue Line: trains every 15-20 minutes between Huntington and Largo Town Center.
- Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Stations closed.
- Free shuttle buses between Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn St and Eisenhower Ave
- Free express shuttles between Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon stations.
- Orange Line: trains every 15—20 minutes.
- Silver Line: trains every 15—20 minutes.
- Green Line and Yellow Line: trains every 15-20 minutes
- After 10 p.m., trains will single track between Prince George’s Plaza and College Park.
For your safety and the safety of others, customers are required to wear cloth face coverings or masks traveling on Metro.
