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[Alex]

WTOP reports that the FHWA approved the Interstate renumbering for I-395 and I-695. There's a bit of editorializing about I-695 late in the article.

There's a good bit of information in the AASHTO Route Numbering Archive on I-395. I tried to summarize it on https://www.interstate-guide.com/i-395-washington/

So with I-395 being realigned to connect with I-295 via I-695, it can no longer be considered a spur. I mention this because when I-95 was to be relocated onto the Capital Beltway, the FHWA in 1975 suggested Interstate 895 as the renumbering for the route into D.C. as I-395 was "not compatible with existing route numbering policies." (this was based upon the plans to connect it with I-295 at the north end, resulting in an even numbered 3-digit route)

AASHTO corresponded with VDOT and DDOT, and DDOT supported I-395 as the "present terminus is with the city's arterial street system," also adding among other reasons that they guessed that extension of I-395 will not terminate at another I-95 segment.

The Virginia Governor previously had reservations of numbering it I-395. There's a letter in the Route Numbering Archive explaining how Virginia considered the route to be a loop, and not a spur. But those were eventually withdrawn and I-395 was approved by the FHWA in 1976.

The Route Numbering Archive also revealed why the 1984 proposal to change the Center Leg Freeway to Interstate 195 never went through.
The renumbering was subject to the completion of the final alignments. The north end of the Center Leg Freeway was in 1987, but the segment of the Southeast Freeway from 12th Street to the Anacostia Freeway never was.
I created a page for the I-195 in D.C. at https://www.interstate-guide.com/i-195-dc/

Edited, because I fixed the typos on the I-395 page
- Alex

[WillWeaverRVA]

So with I-395 being realigned to connect with I-295 via I-695, it can no longer be considered a spur. I mention this because when I-95 was to be relocated onto the Capital Beltway, the FHWA in 1975 suggested Interstate 895 as the renumbering for the route into D.C. as I-395 was "not compatible with existing route numbering policies." (this was based upon the plans to connect it with I-295 at the north end, resulting in an even numbered 3-digit route)

Makes me wonder why they don't just change the whole thing to I-695. It can't be I-895 anymore because of VA 895 (although I have my doubts that VA 895 will ever become I-895 in any of our lifetimes).

[The Ghostbuster]

There is no Interstate 695 in Virginia, so extending 695 over 395 all the way to the Springfield Interchange would work. That way the Center Leg Freeway could remain 395.

[amroad17]

So with I-395 being realigned to connect with I-295 via I-695, it can no longer be considered a spur. I mention this because when I-95 was to be relocated onto the Capital Beltway, the FHWA in 1975 suggested Interstate 895 as the renumbering for the route into D.C. as I-395 was "not compatible with existing route numbering policies." (this was based upon the plans to connect it with I-295 at the north end, resulting in an even numbered 3-digit route)

Makes me wonder why they don't just change the whole thing to I-695. It can't be I-895 anymore because of VA 895 (although I have my doubts that VA 895 will ever become I-895 in any of our lifetimes).

Less signs to change.  In fact, some of the current I-395 signs on the Center Leg Freeway could replace the I-695 signs.

More than likely it is being done this way to save some of the changeover costs and to keep the familiarity of I-395 routed from the Springfield Interchange into Washington.  Two short sections are going to be renumbered instead of a larger 11 mile stretch of freeway.

Besides, it really does not matter much now that some odd numbered Interstate highways act more like loops instead of spurs, or connect to an Interstate highway at both termini.  The "rules" are being relaxed a bit.

[plain]

I'm about to go full fantasy here.

Have I-85 multiplex with I-95 to Springfield then have it take over I-395 to terminate at US 50. Renumber I-695 as an I-x85. Bam! 


Seriously though, I don't understand why they think the renumbering is so important. I think they're fine just the way they are.

[The Ghostbuster]

That would require a co-currency of about 117 miles to replace a roadway designation (Interstate 395) whose existing length is about 13 miles long. That's not fantasy, that's insanity. No Thanks!

[mrsman]

So with I-395 being realigned to connect with I-295 via I-695, it can no longer be considered a spur. I mention this because when I-95 was to be relocated onto the Capital Beltway, the FHWA in 1975 suggested Interstate 895 as the renumbering for the route into D.C. as I-395 was "not compatible with existing route numbering policies." (this was based upon the plans to connect it with I-295 at the north end, resulting in an even numbered 3-digit route)

Makes me wonder why they don't just change the whole thing to I-695. It can't be I-895 anymore because of VA 895 (although I have my doubts that VA 895 will ever become I-895 in any of our lifetimes).

Less signs to change.  In fact, some of the current I-395 signs on the Center Leg Freeway could replace the I-695 signs.

More than likely it is being done this way to save some of the changeover costs and to keep the familiarity of I-395 routed from the Springfield Interchange into Washington.  Two short sections are going to be renumbered instead of a larger 11 mile stretch of freeway.

Besides, it really does not matter much now that some odd numbered Interstate highways act more like loops instead of spurs, or connect to an Interstate highway at both termini.  The "rules" are being relaxed a bit.

Agreed.  I-395 is familiar and should be retained as the majority route from Springfield thru Pentagon to the Downtown DC area.  The specific terminus can be changed and it is good that they are making the thru route toward  I-295 and DC-295 retain the 395 number, since that is where the majority of northbound traffic, that is already on 395 , should go.

Another thing: Given that the "thru" route from Springfield to College Park involves I-395, DC-295, and BW Parkway it is better to keep this as an odd interstate.  Yes, the 395/295 interchanges connects two interstates, but the main force of 395 traffic will be heading north and will no longer be heading on interstate highways to reach College Park.  In that way, an odd interstate is better to denote that it is not a connecting route between interstates, in the typical manner of even 3dis.

[froggie]

Yes, the 395/295 interchanges connects two interstates, but the main force of 395 traffic will be heading north

Actually, the main force of traffic to/from the 11th St Bridge goes south on the Interstate part of 295, which is in no small part why the 295/395 interchange is designed the way it is.

395 makes sense because the vast bulk of traffic on the SE/SW Freeway is coming to/from Virginia and the 14th St Bridge, where it was already 395.

[AlexandriaVA]

During the morning rush, I always found that I-395 got considerably lighter after L'Enfant Plaza (7th St) and then even more so after the Center Leg Freeway.

Going on the section along the Navy Yard and towards the 11st Street bridge, and onto 295 north, never really seems congested.

Makes sense, as L'Enfant and the Hill are two big commuting destinations.

[noelbotevera]

Visited Arlington last week, and noticed this funny little 1950s bridge on Arlington Boulevard WB just inside the DC line (aka part of the Memorial Circle interchange on Columbia Island). The most recent aerial showing this bridge fully used is from 1964 (the EB lanes removed sometime before the next aerial in 1979). The aerial is blurry, but my takeaway is that the GW Parkway ended here (or was realigned with the EB lanes staying in Virginia?) and most traffic from Arlington Boulevard was guided onto the Parkway. Even though this bypassed the circle, the Parkway was rebuilt or extended north of the circle and this area was reconstructed sometime in the '70s, possibly with the completion of I-66 in Virginia.

[cpzilliacus]

Visited Arlington last week, and noticed this funny little 1950s bridge on Arlington Boulevard WB just inside the DC line (aka part of the Memorial Circle interchange on Columbia Island). The most recent aerial showing this bridge fully used is from 1964 (the EB lanes removed sometime before the next aerial in 1979). The aerial is blurry, but my takeaway is that the GW Parkway ended here (or was realigned with the EB lanes staying in Virginia?) and most traffic from Arlington Boulevard was guided onto the Parkway. Even though this bypassed the circle, the Parkway was rebuilt or extended north of the circle and this area was reconstructed sometime in the '70s, possibly with the completion of I-66 in Virginia.

I think that pre-dates construction of the T. Roosevelt Bridge (I-66 and U.S. 50) which was built long before I-66 between I-495 and Rosslyn was completed in the early 1980's.

[1995hoo]

The bridge noelbotevera is referring to carried two-way traffic prior to that area's reconfiguration after the Roosevelt Bridge opened. If you don't zoom the 1964 Historic Aerials image in, you can see how US-50 went eastbound across that bridge and then curved to the south, joining what is now the ramp that carries traffic from Memorial Bridge towards I-395 and the southbound GW Parkway. The road passed under Memorial Avenue (the road connecting the circle to the cemetery) and then curved around to the left via a ramp that no longer exists to access the circle and the bridge. Traffic coming south on the GW Parkway used a loop ramp adjacent to the bridge noelbotevera mentions in order to connect to that bridge and then continue southbound.

Once the Roosevelt Bridge opened and US-50 traffic shifted to that route, the area was reconfigured. The loop ramp was eliminated, as was two-way traffic on the bridge in question. Instead, eastbound traffic was funnelled to the realigned GW Parkway via a new ramp (the stub of which is visible in the 1964 Historic Aerials image), and then another new ramp that uses a sort of U-turn layout (except it's on the right) was constructed to connect the GW Parkway to Memorial Avenue. Traffic heading from the Parkway to either the bridge or the cemetery still uses that ramp, goes through the annoying stop sign at its end, and turns right (for the bridge) or left (for the cemetery). You could also use the latter option to connect to Route 110 if you wanted to go from the GW Parkway to Crystal City, although there are better ways to make that movement that avoid the stop sign and the 15-mph zone with heavy pedestrian traffic on Memorial Avenue. As noelbotevera notes, the southbound GW Parkway was realigned through Virginia and now crosses Boundary Channel south of the area in question.

Both of the U-shaped ramps on Columbia Island are now gone. The northern one closed sometime within the past year as part of various reconfiguration efforts intended to reduce the number of crashes and improve pedestrian safety (the latter a well-intentioned effort that likely won't work as well as they hope).

[Mapmikey]

The 1949 and 1951 aerials show very well what went on prior to 1964.

The bridge in question was built about 1950 and there was a narrower bridge there prior (unless that was a Bailey Bridge).

Arlington Blvd EB was seamless to GW Pkwy SB starting about 1940.  GW Pkwy NB could go onto Arlington Blvd or continue up more Pkwy which used to curl around to the Key Circle in Rosslyn.  In 1950 you could also then continue around onto Spout Run Pkwy and the ability to go to Key Circle remained until at least the mid-1960s

[noelbotevera]

Having looked at the area more, what I find interesting is that the reconfiguration eliminated Arlington Boulevard EB access to the Memorial Bridge (via the southern U-turn ramp). This might be a stupid question, but what's wrong with allowing that traffic to filter between the Roosevelt and Memorial Bridges?

I might even be answering my own question, but either the Roosevelt Bridge can handle all the traffic (3 lanes EB vs 2, but also has to handle I-66 traffic) or more traffic at  Memorial Circle would create a bigger mess.

Also interesting that the GW Parkway SB was built after NB - usually you don't build carriageways separately.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: D.C. parking, traffic tickets snowball into financial hardships

Garry Scott, 68, vaguely remembers the first ticket he got after moving to D.C. It was almost a decade ago. It was likely an infraction for not having a residential parking permit, he says.

He figured he would pay it later.

But a few days later, another ticket appeared. Then another. Then a few more got stuck to his windshield.

“At one point I had six tickets on my window,” he said.

The fines doubled when Scott, who has a limited income, failed to pay the tickets on time. The growing unpaid fees spiraled Scott into bankruptcy, unemployment and eventually homelessness. Today, Scott owes the city more than $5,000 — all for unpaid driving or parking tickets.

[cpzilliacus]

[Op-Ed] Anacostia’s missing traffic control

This month I will have an anniversary that is no cause for celebration. Three years ago, I was hit by a car while crossing Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, in the crosswalk, with the walk light. A woman who thought answering her phone was more important than paying attention slammed into me, tossing me like a rag doll. I guess it’s good she was turning; if she had been going any faster, I would not be writing this letter.

Afterward, I wrote a Local Opinions essay that resulted in a small flurry of concern on D.C.'s part. Then-D.C. Department of Transportation head Jeff Marootian called me very solicitously, came to a Washington Area Bicyclists Association meeting at the Anacostia Playhouse (my home base) and seemed genuinely interested in working on the many, many issues centered on traffic control in Anacostia. I stated that I did not believe anything would really change unless there was some accountability for breaking the law (what a concept!) as well as real changes and upgrades to the infrastructure.

[jakeroot]

So painting more zebra crossings will prevent right-hook crashes?

[Alps]

So painting more zebra crossings will prevent right-hook crashes?

The more visible crosswalks are, the better compliance is.

[ran4sh]

At least until all marked crosswalks are in the zebra format (e.g. Georgia)

[jakeroot]

So painting more zebra crossings will prevent right-hook crashes?

The more visible crosswalks are, the better compliance is.

Not gonna disagree, but I don't think replacing transverse markings with zebra automatically improves yielding. I think it does at mid-block and yield crossings, but I haven't seen any studies that prove whether there is better compliance at signalized crossings.

[1995hoo]

EXCLUSIVE-The new Frederick Douglass Bridge in Southeast DC will open a month ahead of schedule, according to project leaders. Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists will be able to use the bridge in a few weeks, starting the week of Sept 6th. @nbcwashington https://t.co/hweh07oNJM pic.twitter.com/RWRuJYffJl

— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) August 17, 2021

[cpzilliacus]

WRC-TV (Channel 4, Washington, D.C.): National Park Service Considers Whether to Keep Section of Beach Drive Closed to Traffic

[Mapmikey]

3rd Street Tunnel closed until further notice -

flooding into the tunnel caused the roadway to buckle slightly per WTOP

No timeline for repair estimated yet...

[1995hoo]

Interesting to have an electronic sign after the tunnel exit warning that the tunnel is closed. Maybe it's for people who get on autopilot and miss all the earlier signs.

ADVISORY: I-395/SW Freeway eastbound ramp to northbound 3rd St. Tunnel, access BLOCKED.

Follow police direction on surrounding streets. #DCTraffic

Traffic🔗 https://t.co/nb3VFR1abs
Listen 🔗 https://t.co/KpJlqpKxN7

📹: @aletweetsnews pic.twitter.com/5BCarZPSlo

— WTOP Traffic (@WTOPtraffic) August 24, 2021

[AlexandriaVA]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2021/09/06/frederick-douglass-bridge-opening-washington/

New $480 million Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge begins opening week with a Labor Day celebration

Commuters idled in traffic jams, planners spent countless hours on studies and politicians debated for more than a decade as road crews patched and paved a crumbling Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge.

Now, a replacement span is about to open this week.

The city is transitioning from the 71-year-old bridge in Southeast Washington to a freshly built, 1,445-foot-long structure with a community party — opening to pedestrians and bikes for a one-day preview Monday — before welcoming cars for good by the end of the week. The replacement is the city’s largest infrastructure project in history, valued at $480 million, and it is viewed as a critical step toward the transformation of the shores of the Anacostia River.