UPDATE (4/30/2017) — The Interstate 95 roadwork over Neabsco Creek that was expected to be finished Monday morning is now complete. Express Lanes are now pointed north.
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WASHINGTON — Weekend plans across the region could be slowed by extra traffic jams, Metro track work and protests in D.C.
I-95 work
Drivers should expect delays in both directions on Interstate 95 in Virginia on Sunday for the first part of urgent bridge repairs.
As WTOP was first to report, the work will narrow I-95 to two southbound lanes near Dale City until 6 a.m. Monday, close the ramps from Dale Boulevard to southbound I-95, and is expected to keep the 95 Express Lanes pointed southbound all day Sunday.
While the southbound lane closure over Neabsco Creek in Dale City could contribute to additional southbound delays, especially on a weekend where warm weather is likely to add to the number of people on the road, some of the biggest backups are expected to be in the northbound lanes.
Drivers have settled into a Sunday afternoon routine of sitting in traffic up to the Express Lanes entrance near Garrisonville Road, where the additional lanes often allow things to open up for a stretch.
This weekend and next, with the Express Lanes expected to remain pointed southbound during the work barring any significant incidents, the cars that have been using the toll lanes will instead remain with the rest of the traffic.
Next weekend, the bridge repair work is scheduled to run from 10 p.m. Friday, May 5 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 8. Both weekends, the Express Lanes are scheduled to run northbound as usual on Monday morning.
The work is meant to provide a longer term fix for the crumbling concrete bridge deck. The Virginia Department of Transportation said the bridge remains safe, but drivers should avoid I-95 this Sunday and next weekend due to the expected traffic issues.
DOT released this map of potential alternatives:
Metro weekend shutdown
Blue, Orange and Silver Line riders face significant disruptions this weekend due to a shutdown of a stretch of tracks downtown that was rescheduled from last weekend.
There are no trains between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle on Sunday. Farragut West and McPherson Square Stations will be closed, and there will be no Blue, Orange or Silver Line service at Metro Center.
Metro plans to have shuttle buses between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle, but they could add significant travel time. Many riders may be better off walking than using the shuttle buses given how close Federal Triangle is to Metro Center for Red Line transfers, and how close Foggy Bottom is to Farragut North. The entire walk between Federal Triangle and Foggy Bottom stations would be about 1.5 miles.
Orange Line trains are scheduled only every 20 minutes between Vienna and Foggy Bottom and every 15 minutes between Federal Triangle and New Carrollton.
Blue Line trains are scheduled between Franconia-Springfield and Foggy Bottom only every 20 minutes, and between Federal Triangle and Largo Town Center every 15 minutes.
Silver Line trains are only scheduled to run between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston stations on Sunday. To reach the rest of Arlington, D.C. or Maryland riders must transfer to an Orange Line train.
The last trains from the ends of the Blue and Orange Lines also leave even earlier than usual Sunday night. The last Blue Line train from Franconia-Springfield to Foggy Bottom is scheduled to leave at 10:59 p.m., 30 minutes earlier than usual. The last Orange Line train to Federal Triangle is scheduled to leave New Carrollton at 11:25 p.m. (11 minutes earlier than usual) and the last train from Vienna to Foggy Bottom is scheduled to leave at 11:15 p.m. (10 minutes earlier than usual).
Metro has closed at midnight every day of the week for nearly a year. Around July 1, hours are scheduled to change again.
Follow up testing on the issues that led to a shutdown of the tracks during Thursday morning’s commute.
Metro 24/7 shutdown
Metro’s current round-the-clock work zone shifts this weekend, but continues to have an impact on Green Line riders.
On Sunday, College Park station is scheduled to reopen. Greenbelt Station is scheduled to remain closed through May 14. Shuttle buses are running for the closed stations.
This weekend, Metro has scheduled Green Line trains every 20 minutes on the rest of the line.
Yellow Line trains also have reduced service this weekend, only running every 20 minutes and only between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Square rather than Fort Totten.
Other events and impacts
Nationals, Capitals (and possibly Wizards) fans should also plan ahead for the weekend.
The Nationals host the Mets Sunday afternoon.
Nationals fans in Virginia who want to avoid driving to Nationals Park Sunday can consider driving to Yellow Line stations, using the water taxi from Alexandria, or driving across the Wilson Bridge to park at Metro stations on the southern end of the Green Line among other options.
Capitals fans considering taking Metro need to factor in the midnight closing time for the system in addition to the track work. The last trains are scheduled leave Gallery Place-Chinatown as early as 11:55 p.m. and Metro Center as early as 11:53 p.m.
While that may not be an issue since the game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m., the Capitals did go to overtime five times in their six game opening round series against the Maple Leafs.
Off the rails, drivers can expect other construction work around the region this weekend too.
For example, there are detours and lane closures scheduled all weekend on the Dulles Access Road as crews take down the big crane that has been building the new Herndon Metro Station as part of the 11.4 mile second phase of the Silver Line.
