Weekend Road and Rail: Beltway work, I-66 diverting; Metro derailment investigation continues

Planned roadwork will be in full-swing this weekend thanks to a beautiful forecast. Be prepared for Interstate 66 closures and stops; Beltway work all weekend and Metro’s reduced service for a derailment investigation.

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

Roadwork

Virginia

There is a gorgeous weekend in store, which means all systems go for the ever-changing landscape of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project and many other ongoing projects in our region.

This weekend — and for the next two weekends — motorists in Maryland and Virginia should watch out for a work zone that will be taking place on southbound I-495 Beltway Outer Loop in Tysons, Virginia.

Like last weekend, on the Beltway south over the three bridges running over Route 267 Dulles Toll Road, various lanes will be blocked from 10 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday morning for bridge joint work.

This weekend the work will continuously block a left lane with multiple lanes closing overnight. Due to the location of the work, the access into the Express lanes generally will come after any delays, which begin to form in Maryland. Stay tuned and be sure to plan ahead.

As for our I-66 Transforms Outside the Beltway Project, here are a few locations to watch out for that could be the most impactful. As always, stay tuned to WTOP News and traffic on the 8s for any up to the minute additions on changes to roadwork. And please, take time to be part of the process by calling our 24/7-staffed WTOP Traffic Center with any changes you may see at 866-304-WTOP (9867).

Starting with the I-66 / I-495 Interchange, there have been several new ramps and modifications that have been occurring as well as bridge beam installations.

• I-66 West at I-495
  • Friday: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Two lanes will be close for concrete deck pour. Drivers should expect periodic stoppages of up to 20 minutes.
• Ramp from the 495 Express Lanes North to I-66 West
  • Saturday: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and Sunday night from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • The ramp will be closed. Overhead variable message boards will direct traffic to an alternate route.
• Ramp from I-495 South to I-66 West
  • Saturday: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and Sunday night from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • The ramp will be reduced to a single travel lane for overhead bridge demolition at Gallows Road.
• I-66 West from I-495 to west of Gallows Road
  • Saturday: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and Sunday night from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Three lanes will be closed for overhead bridge demolition at Gallows Road. Drivers should expect periodic stoppages overnight.

In Vienna:

• I-66 East from Waples Mill Road to Jermantown Road
  • Friday: 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • I-66 East will be reduced to a single travel lane approaching Jermantown Road with traffic diverted into the old eastbound travel lanes from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• I-66 West from Nutley Street to Route 123
  • Friday and Saturday: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Three lanes will be closed for paving.
• I-66 West from Nutley Street to Route 123
  • Saturday: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Three lanes will be closed for paving.

In Fairfax:

• I-66 East from Stringfellow Road to Monument Drive
  • Friday: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Two lanes will be closed for striping.
• I-66 West from Monument Drive to Route 286 (Fairfax County Parkway)
  • Friday and Saturday: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Three lanes will be closed for striping.

In Centreville:

• I-66 East at Route 29 Centreville
  • Friday: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
  • I-66 East will be closed at Route 29. All traffic will be directed to exit to Route 29 to Route 28 North following signs back to I-66.
• Ramp from I-66 East to Route 29 South
  • Friday: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
  • The spur ramp to southbound Route 29 will be closed. Traffic will be directed to stay to the right to Route 29 North for a U-turn.
• Ramp from I-66 East to Route 28 North
  • Friday: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
  • The ramp will be closed. Traffic will be directed to exit the interstate (prior to the Route 28 North exit) to Route 29 North, following signs to Route 28 North.
• Ramp from Route 29 North and South to I-66 East
  • Friday: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
  • The ramp will be closed and detoured.
• Ramp from Route 28 South to I-66 East
  • Friday night: Midnight to 4 a.m.
  • The ramp will be closed and detoured.
• Ramp from Stringfellow Road to I-66 East
  • Continuously from 10 p.m. Friday through 4 a.m. Monday.
  • The ramp will be closed.
• I-66 West at Route 28
  • Route 28 South from Old E.C. Lawrence Park Entrance to I-66
  • Ramp from Braddock Road to Route 28 South
  • Ramp from I-66 West to Route 28 North
  • Ramp from I-66 East to Route 28 North
  • Friday: 11 a.m. to noon
  • Temporary 15-minute stoppages of traffic for blasting operations.
• I-66 West at Route 28
  • Friday and Saturday: 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

    

  • I-66 West will be closed at Route 28. All traffic will be directed to exit the interstate to Braddock Road/Walney Road to follow signs to the left turn to I-66 West.
  • The ramp to Route 28 North will remain open.
  • On Saturday morning, one lane of westbound I-66 will reopen by 6 a.m., two lanes will reopen by 7 a.m., and all lanes will reopen by 10 a.m.
• Ramp from I-66 West to Route 28 South
  • Friday and Saturday: 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  • The ramp will be closed and detoured the exit to Route 29 Centreville.

In Manassas:

• I-66 West between Route 234 Business (Sudley Road) and Groveton Road
  • Friday: 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Three lanes will be closed for paving.
• Ramp from Route 234 Bypass (Prince William Parkway) North to I-66 West
  • Friday and Saturday: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
  • The ramp will be closed and detoured.

In Gainesville:

• I-66 East and West from Route 29 Gainesville to Cub Run
  • Friday: Eastbound 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m./Westbound 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • One lane will be closed for lighting and utility work.

Maryland

In Frederick, The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is warning of “high impact” ramp tie-work zone that will be in place all weekend on MD 85 Buckeystown Pike to northbound I-270. Beginning Friday at 9 p.m. and running through 5 a.m. Monday, the ramp from northbound MD 85 to northbound I-270 will be closed and detoured. The detour will direct drivers to westbound I-70 to northbound US 15. The left lane on southbound MD 85 ramp to northbound I-270 will also be closed during this time.

There continues to be nightly work on the ramp from I-270 southbound to northbound MD 85, Sundays through Fridays, with the exit ramp closed overnights through the fall for pipe installation.

An acceleration expansion project will continue off-peak single to multiple lane closures through the end of the year on I-270 south between MD 121 Clarksburg Road though MD 109 Old Hundred Road.

In Howard County, new work began on MD 32 Patuxent Freeway at Dorsey Run Road. This week began the closure of the ramp from Dorsey Run Road to westbound MD 32 closed for pipe repair and resurfacing for two weeks.

And, as a reminder in Prince George’s County, the US 1 Reconstruction Project will continue a single lane closure in both directions between MD 193 University Boulevard and College Avenue through the weekend, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through 2023.

The Purple Line has continual changes and this week saw work also begin on Campus Drive adjacent to the College Park Metro Station. There will be daily flagging associated with this work through the weekend. Also note, a portion of the Rock Creek Trail has also been closed for the next three weeks. Specific details are available online.

In Newburg, US-301 southbound on the approach to the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial/Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge has a new travel pattern, which will remain in place through the fall to implement the new cashless tolling gantry and signage. More details can be found online.

DC

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is continuing the work with ramp and lane closures during off-peak times, to include weekends, for the ongoing I-295/DC 295 Corridor Project. The plan as of this week on the work, which will continue through Nov. 1, weather permitting, looks like this:

• I-295 Northbound: Malcom X Ave SE / JBAB (Exit 2) to North of Malcom X Ave SE (Merge of I-295 northbound)
  • Road closure between Exit 2 to north of Malcom X Ave SE starting at 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. (continuous) through this weekend

    

• I-295 Southbound: Malcom X Ave SE / JBAB (Exit 2) to Laboratory Road / US Naval Research Lab (Exit 1)
  • Road closure between Exits 2-1 starting at 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. (continuous) through this weekend.
• Additional Work:
  • Double lane closure on Malcolm X Ave SE both ways between I-295 northbound ramp to South Capitol Street SE starting at 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., this weekend.

Metro

As the Blue Line derailment investigation continues, there will continue to be reduced Metrorail service through this weekend. The Red Line trains will be running every 15-20 minutes with all other lines seeing 30-40 minute wait times.

Due to the unplanned service disruptions, train times on Metro’s trip planner may not reflect the latest service schedule. Metro riders are encouraged to use the live train map to see the locations of trains on each line. In-station next-train signs (Passenger Information Displays) are providing accurate train arrival estimates.

On the Red Line, the planned shutdown continues between Twinbrook and Shady Grove for the Rockville Canopy Replacement Project, which closes the Rockville and Shady Grove stations through December 4. Alternate modes of transportation due to these closures can be found on the WMATA website.

There is a Silver Line shutdown scheduled for this weekend for rail maintenance between Wiehle-Reston and Spring Hill. Due to this work the Wiehle-Reston East station will be closed. Also this weekend, due to the Potomac Yards Construction, the Blue and Yellow Lines will be single tracking between National Airport and Braddock Road.

Metro will operate with normal weekend hours, 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. to midnight on Sunday, serving 88 of 91 stations.

Weekend service summary:

• Red Line: Shady Grove and Rockville stations closed.
  • Buses replace trains with free shuttle service between Shady Grove, Rockville and Twinbrook.
  • Trains operate between Twinbrook and Glenmont only.
• Blue and Yellow Line: Single tracking between National Airport and Braddock Rd.
• Orange and Green Lines: Trains every 30 minutes.
• Silver Line: Wiehle-Reston East station closed.
  • Free shuttle buses provided.
  • Trains run between Spring Hill and Federal Center SW only, every 30 minutes.