Weekend Road and Rail: I-66, Beltway and I-295/DC-295 projects continue; Metro tweaks all lines with 2 shutdowns

Inclement weather is projected for the weekend, but that’s usually not enough to stop the ongoing I-66 Transformation in Virginia. The work on the Maryland side of the Beltway is also scheduled to continue nightly, as well as off-peak work that continues in the District. Metro has variations happening on all lines with two shutdowns continuing.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re traveling in the D.C. region this weekend.

Roadwork

Virginia

With all the volatile weather that has been pushing through our region this week, there is the chance for remnants of storms in the weekend forecast, which could hamper the schedule of any roadwork. But, as to be expected, the ever-changing Transform 66 — OUTSIDE the Beltway project will continue to see reconfiguring into this weekend. Here’s a glimpse of what is on the docket from our friends at the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), weather permitting.

In Gainesville:

• Route 29 North and South from University Boulevard to Heathcote Boulevard Thursday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • One lane will be closed for roadway construction.
• I-66 East from Route 234 Bypass (Prince William Parkway) to west of Route 29 Centreville Friday and Saturday from 9:30 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Three lanes will be closed for paving and survey work.
• I-66 West between Route 29 Centreville and Groveton Road Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Three lanes will be closed for paving and survey work.

In Centreville:

• Ramp from I-66 East to Route 29 Centreville: Continuing all week through Saturday night from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. The ramp will be closed.

  

  • Traffic is detoured farther east to the exit to Route 28 North — stay to the left to exit to Braddock Road/Walney Road, turn left at the traffic signal onto Braddock Road West, then follow signs to turn left to the ramp to I-66 West, then take I-66 West to Route 29 Centreville.
• I-66 West from west of Route 28 to Route 29 Centreville Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Two lanes will be closed for sign installation.
• I-66 West from Stringfellow Road to Route 28 Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Three lanes will be closed for overhead bridgework. Drivers should expect periodic stoppages of up to 20 minutes during the overnight hours.

In Fairfax:

• Route 286 (Fairfax County Parkway) North and South at I-66 Friday from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m.
  • Two lanes will be closed for overhead bridgework. Drivers should expect periodic stoppages of up to 20 minutes during the overnight hours.
• Ramp from Route 50 East to I-66 East Friday and Saturday between 12 a.m. to 5 a.m.
  • The ramp will be closed. Traffic will be directed farther east, stay to the left and use the left-most left turn lane to make a U-turn at the traffic signal at Waples Mill Road, then stay to the right and follow signs to I-66 East. (Note: This closure will not occur on night(s) when the detour route is not available due to other closures.)
• Ramp from I-66 West to Route 50 West Friday and Saturday between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m.
  • The ramp will be closed. Traffic will be directed farther west to the exit to Route 286 (Fairfax County Parkway) South — stay to the right to I-66 East, then follow signs to Route 50 West. (Note: This closure will not occur on night(s) when the detour route is not available due to other closures.)
• I-66 West at Route 50 Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Two lanes will be closed for continued demolition of the old Route 50 West bridge and traffic shifts on the ramps at Route 50. Drivers should expect periodic brief stoppages Friday, and Saturday nights between midnight and 4 a.m.
• I-66 East and West at Jermantown Road: continues through Friday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Two lanes will be closed for bridgework.
• I-66 West from Gallows Road to Nutley Street Friday 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Two lanes will be closed for crews to set barriers.
• I-66 West from Nutley Street to Vaden Drive Friday from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Three lanes will be closed for overhead bridgework.
• Ramp from I-66 East to Nutley Street North and South Friday between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m.
  • The ramp will be closed. Traffic will be directed farther east to I-495 North — travel to the exit to Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) West, stay to the right to I-495 South, then exit to I-66 West and continue west to Nutley Street. (Note: This closure will not occur on night(s) when the detour route is not available due to other closures.)
• Ramp from Nutley Street North and South to I-66 East Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

  

  • The ramp will be closed. Traffic will be directed to I-66 West, exit to Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road), — stay to the left and turn left at the traffic signal onto Route 123 South, then stay to the left and turn left at the next traffic signal to reach I-66 East.
• Ramp from I-495 South to I-66 West: continuing through Friday between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.
• The ramp will be closed. Traffic will be detoured farther south to Route 50 (Arlington Boulevard) East, stay to the right to Fairview Park, take the left fork to Fairview Park North, bear left at the traffic signal, then stay to the right following signs to I-495 North and I-66, then follow signs to I-66 West.

• Ramp from I-66 East to the 495 Express Lanes South: continuing through Friday between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
  • The ramp will be closed. Overhead variable message boards in the Express Lanes will direct traffic to an alternate route.

As always, all work scheduled is weather-dependent and subject to change. Be sure to stay tuned to WTOP traffic on the 8s for the latest. And call the 24/7 Traffic Center at 866-304-WTOP to help with any changes or updates and be part of the team.

Maryland

There continues to be ongoing changes and work for Metro’s Purple Line in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. In the Laytonsville/Woodside area crews have been working on the north side of the CSX tracks clearing trees between 16th Street/MD-390 and Fenwick Lane. This is in preparation of utility relocations. Flagging could take place during the weekend, as needed, through the end of the month.

In Silver Spring, there could also be temporary lane closures on Colesville Road between MD-410 (East-West Highway) and 2nd Avenue, weather permitting, through the weekend. And, the temporary lane closures on Piney Branch Road between Arliss Street and University Boulevard continue through the end of August. Expect travel to be controlled through here by flagging with traffic alternating under crew control.

To keep up on all the latest changes and schedules, be sure to check online for work on Metro’s Purple Line page, with any and all specifics.

In Frederick, the weekend will see the MD-28 Dickerson Road bridge over the Monocacy River closed and detoured for the ongoing bridge replacement project. The bridge will be closed by 10 p.m. Friday and continue to be detoured through 5 a.m. Monday morning, weather permitting.

Through Baltimore, the high-impact work on I-895 Harbor Tunnel Thruway is continuing to have planned travel closures through the summer, as well. Between the Harbor Tunnel and Holabird Avenue, there will be continuous off-peak lane and ramp closures being implemented.

Also in Baltimore, from Friday through Monday 5 a.m., MD 295 will be closed in both directions between the I-695 interchange and Russell Street. This closure is for a bridge demolition and removal of the old Waterview Avenue Bridge. The use of I-95 through the Baltimore Harbor will be unaffected by the other work zones and remains a good alternative.

The nightly work is continuing on I-495, the Capital Beltway. Montgomery County, both sides of the Beltway will see intermittent off-peak lane closures between Georgia and Connecticut avenues for the ongoing bridge rehabilitation project. This work does see full stops on Sunday through Thursday nights between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Be sure to stay tuned to 103.5 FM.

In Prince George’s County, crews are now resurfacing the Beltway I-95/I-495 between MD-5 Branch Avenue and MD-414 St. Barnabas Road. There will be continuous overnight multiple lane closures, from Sunday through Thursday. And, on the Beltway between Suitland Road and MD-4 Pennsylvania Avenue, there are off-peak lane closures for the ongoing bridge rehabilitation project.

This fall and through the end of the project, crews will complete structural steel setting, concrete deck pouring work, paving, pavement marking (line striping) and other project activities. This work is said to be 75% complete. For a complete overview of the ongoing Beltway bridge work over the Suitland Parkway, visit MDOT SHA’s website.

DC

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is continuing rehabilitation on two major projects that impact travel on South Capitol Street, Howard Road, Firth Sterling Avenue and the I-295/DC-295 Corridor. Both projects have been ongoing for some time with changes weekly to include the variation in lane configurations with work closing roadways, lanes and ramps.

This weekend the work scheduled on the I-295/DC-295 will go something like this, weather permitting:

• I-295 Between Laboratory Road/US Naval Research Lab (Exit 1) to Suitland Parkway/JBAB (Exit 3A)
  • Various closures between Exits 1-3 are daily between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., continuing through Saturday.
  • Lane closures on Malcolm X Avenue Southeast both ways between 2nd St. and South Capitol Street Southeast between 6 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. through Saturday.
  • Full ramp closure on I-295 northbound on-ramp from MLK Jr. Avenue Southeast to I-295 northbound (continuous) through Sunday.
  • Lane closed on St. Elizabeth’s Avenue Southeast from Gate 4 to Fifth Sterling Avenue Southeast from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily through Saturday.
  • Lane closed on South Capitol Street Southeast northbound from Exit 2 (Southbound) to DC Streetcar Charge Station daily from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Sunday.

Metro

This weekend will see single-tracking on the Red Line between Van Ness and Dupont Circle due to the ongoing Tunnel Ventilation Improvement Project, which is scheduled through August.

And, the summer shutdown continues on the Green and Yellow Lines for the Platform Improvement Project, which closes the West Hyattsville, Prince George’s Plaza, College Park-U of Md and the Greenbelt stations. The free shuttle schedules and alternative travel options, parking and bus relocations can all be found online. This work is scheduled through Labor Day.

Weekend service summary:

• Red: Buses replace trains between Van Ness and Dupont Circle.
  • Woodley Park and Cleveland Park stations closed.
  • Free shuttle buses provided.
  • Trains run in two segments — Shady Grove to Van Ness and Dupont Circle to Glenmont.
• Blue, Orange and Silver Lines: Single tracking between Eastern Market and Stadium-Armory.
• Silver Line: Trains operate between Wiehle-Reston and Federal Center SW only.
• Yellow Line: Due to the summer Platform Improvement Project:
  • Trains operate between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq. only.
  • Travelers to stations north of Mt. Vernon Sq. should transfer to the Green Line.
  • Single tracking between National Airport and Braddock Rd.
• Green Line:
• Due to the summer Platform Improvement Project:
  • Trains operate between Branch Ave and Ft Totten only.
  • West Hyattsville, Prince George’s Plaza, College Park-U of Md. and Greenbelt stations closed.
• Free shuttle buses replace trains as follows:
  • Limited stop service between Greenbelt, College Park- U of Md. and Fort Totten
  • Limited stop service between Prince George’s Plaza, West Hyattsville and Fort Totten
  • Local service between Greenbelt, College Park-U of Md., Prince George’s Plaza and West Hyattsville