The so-called “People’s Convoy” trucker protest against mostly-lifted health restrictions made the afternoon commute especially difficult Wednesday.
Traffic control operations shut down several exits and forced detours around the 14th Street Bridge as the truckers made their way out of D.C., but they left behind significant delays on the Southeast/Southwest Freeway, said Dave Dildine in the WTOP Traffic Center.
“It is very, very slow going,” he said, “even though most of the exit ramps are open along with all of the travel lanes between the 11th and 14th Street bridges.”
Around 3:30 p.m., about a dozen trucks were stopped at an incident in the center lanes on the 14th Street Bridge for about 20 minutes amid those traffic control operations.
Do not use 14th Street Bridge! Convoy traffic control once again forces inbound traffic on I-395 toward National Harbor, closing all eastbound SE/SW Freeway ramps and many southbound ramps on I-295.
— Dave Dildine (@DildineWTOP) March 16, 2022
A heavy police response, involving dozens of officers, held all traffic on I-395 near the convoy as it neared the Case Bridge and 12th Street Expressway.
These stoppages, the traffic control and ramp closures, and the ripple of traffic behind previous groups, led to significant delays on the Southeast/Southwest Freeway and in downtown areas and near the National Mall.
As of 5:45 p.m. traffic remains slower than usual on some routes from Georgetown to Federal Triangle and on I-395.
