With rain in the forecast, most road projects will likely move forward, but be sure to stay tuned.
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) has a planned ramp closure off the Capital Beltway and work at the Northwest Branch, the Virginia Department of Transportation has work planned on the Beltway and Interstate 66, with a full closure at Route 123. There’s sign work planned in D.C. and Metro will have a shutdown on three lines.
Here’s what you need to know.
Roadwork
Virginia
Although we have hit-or-miss rain in the forecast this weekend, a closure of I-66 is on the docket, and one to be aware of for late-night travelers.
Motorists along I-66 between Gainesville and the Beltway, if not already conditioned to the shifts, will notice drops and reconfiguring this weekend as the I-66 Transforms Outside the Beltway Project continues.
Plans for this weekend include a full closure of I-66 at the Route 123 interchange because bridge beam installation is planned for the overnights both Friday and Saturday, weather permitting.
All lanes of I-66 approaching Route 123 are scheduled to close between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. each night with traffic being detoured around the closures using the ramps at the interchange.
Traffic will be directed off the interstate. Follow the ramps to the traffic signal where police will be directing traffic around the closure points.
Through Saturday overnight, there are plans for two lanes to be closed on the Outer Loop of I-495 southbound, at I-66, between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., which is possible each night, weather permitting.
The work on the bridge spanning I-66 on Gallows Road is planned to have changes this weekend too. Each night this week, and planned through this weekend, Gallows Road over I-66 will be reduced to a single lane between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. nightly.
There will still be a few interchanges being transformed with work scheduled into this weekend.
Work continues at the I-66/I-495 Interchange. This weekend will see the ramps from I-66 and the Express Lanes south fully closed nightly.
There will be closures of the ramps from I-66 west to Nutley Street with all traffic directed father west to use the Vienna/Fairfax/GMU Station with posted detours as well.
In Fairfax, Route 50 westbound at I-66 will see a single lane closure overnight Friday and Saturday through 8 a.m. the next morning. There will be work on Stringfellow Road nightly at I-66, which will reduce travel to a single lane each way through 5 a.m.
Work on the Fairfax County Parkway north between US-29 to I-66 is expected to the roadway to a single lane nightly between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. nightly.
The work in Centreville at the I-66 and Route 28 interchange will be happening from west to north through this weekend.
Each night, between midnight and 4 a.m., the I-66 westbound ramp to Route 28 north and Braddock/Walney Road will be closed. Traffic will be detoured to Route 28 south. Follow posted detours for a U-turn to continue northbound.
Moving into Gainesville, there will be work on US-29 between University and Heathcote boulevards with travel being reduced to a single lane nightly through 5 a.m.
This is part of the work for the new I-66 Park and Ride extension, so motorists can expect lanes to be reduced on University Boulevards between I-66 and Route 29 as well during this time.
As these work zones are ever-changing between the Beltway and Gainesville, and with weather disrupting many planned events, a lot of changes can happen during off-peak hours. Be sure to tune into WTOP News and Traffic on the 8s for the latest.
And, if you’re experiencing something that we’re not reporting, please be part of the process and give us a call at 866-304-WTOP.
D.C.
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has plans again this weekend for a streetlight inspection project. The plan includes closing lanes and ramps of the 9th Street Tunnel nightly between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. beginning Friday through May 14, weather permitting.
As this work is active, here is what can be expected:
- The entrance to 9th Street Expressway SW from D Street SW will be closed
- Ramp closure from 9th Street Expressway SW that connects to I-395 Northbound SW
- Left lane closure on I-395 Northbound from 9th Street Expressway SW to approximately between 7th Street SW and 6th Street SW
Traffic controls will be in place to warn motorists approaching these work zones. Drivers should anticipate moderate to heavy delays and drivers are advised to stay alert while traveling through these locations and to be observant of the inspection personnel.
DDOT has begun repaving work on H Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and 14th Street, during off-peak hours daily Monday through Friday between 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Expect the project to run through the end of May with closing lanes leaving a minimum of one lane open at all times. Arrow boards will be used to alert and guide traffic.
There are intermittent closures of travel lanes on 16th Street NW at Columbia Road, Harvard Street and Mt. Pleasant Street, which will continue through May 17 too, weather permitting.
These intermittent lane closures will be during off-peak times Monday through Friday with Saturday work possible.
Work will continue through this weekend with single/multi-lane closures between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily, through Sunday, on I-295 between Chesapeake Street and the Maryland-D. C. border as well.
This work will include sign and structure inspections as part of the Improving I-295/DC-295 Project.
Maryland
For this weekend, MDOT SHA has a vegetation management project planned on the southbound I-495 Capital Beltway Outer Loop ramp to Clara Barton Parkway, at exit 41, which will be closed and detoured both days from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Drivers are advised to use the ramp to exit 43/George Washington Parkway ramp during this time.
There will continue to be off-peak work on the I-495 Beltway Outer Loop over the Northwest Branch Bridge, just after New Hampshire Avenue. This work will have single lane closures likely between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily through May.
In Prince George’s County, inside the Beltway, the paving project on MD-5/Branch Avenue from the District line through Curtis Drive continues between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., as well as overnights between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., with work permitted during off-peak times through the spring of 2022.
In Frederick, MDOT SHA has established a new traffic pattern on southbound I-270 at MD-85/Buckeystown Pike as part of the $87 million interchange improvement project.
The shift has all southbound travel lanes moved to the left, closer to the I-270 median. There is no concrete barrier on the MD-85 median under I-270, or the new travel pattern on I-270, as crews replace the I-270 bridges.
As per usual this weekend, as the last few weekends, I-895 Harbor Tunnel has continued work with the northbound lanes scheduled to be closed with two-travel in the southbound lanes. This as part of the ongoing reconstruction of the I-895 Harbor Tunnel Thruway.
Metro
This weekend there continues to be no Blue Line service due to the ongoing platform project, which closes the Arlington Cemetery (Blue Line) and Addison Road (Blue and Silver) stations.
There is a shutdown on the Green/Yellow Line between Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza with the West Hyattsville station closed for switch rehabilitation too.
Red Line riders can expect late night single-tracking between Dupont Circle and Van Ness, after 10 p.m., for fastener replacements.
Metro will operate during its normal hours this weekend from 7 a.m. through 11 p.m. Saturday, and 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. Sunday.
Due to the scheduled service adjustments on the Green and Yellow lines, trains will serve 88 of the 91 stations.
Weekend service summary:
Red Line: Trains every 12-18 minutes
- Single-tracking between Dupont Circle and Van Ness after 10 p.m.
Blue Line: No service
- Arlington Cemetery, Addison Road stations closed
- Free shuttles provided
- Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations served by additional Yellow Line trains operating between Franconia-Springfield and National Airport
- Travelers to/from Virginia and D.C. via Yellow Line may transfer at King St-Old Town, Braddock Rd or National Airport stations
Orange Line: Trains every 15-20 minutes
Silver Line: Trains every 15-20 minutes
- Addison Road station closed
- Free shuttles between Capitol Heights and Addison Road
Yellow Line: Trains every 16-24 minutes
- In two segments, between Huntington — Fort Totten and Franconia-Springfield — Mt. Vernon Square
Green Line: Trains every 16-20 minutes in two segments between Branch Ave and Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza and Greenbelt
- West Hyattsville station closed
- Free shuttle buses provided
For your safety, and the safety of others, customers are required to wear cloth face coverings or masks while traveling on Metro.
