Alexandria, VA – While heralding a future of easier and safer travel, the debut of the second new Woodrow Wilson Bridge will come with major traffic impacts over the weekend of May 30-June 1. Switching traffic onto the new bridge requires shrinking the Capital Beltway’s Inner Loop (I-95/I-495 South) down to a single lane and closing several ramps in Maryland and Virginia. In 2006, during a nearly identical operation on the Inner Loop, motorists experienced delays of up to 90 minutes – despite 84 percent less traffic than normal, thanks to the public’s strong response to warnings to avoid the Wilson Bridge Project area.          

The closures are necessary to pave and stripe connections to the new bridge from the highway on both sides of the river. The adjustment also will allow continued progress on the new Beltway lanes that ultimately separate local and long-distance travelers for improved traffic flow. The five lane configuration on each bridge is scheduled to open by the end of 2008.          

Drivers are urged to stay away from the Wilson Bridge Project corridor during the operation that starts at 9:00 p.m., Friday, May 30 and is anticipated to be completed by noon on Sunday, June 1. As with all major roadway work, this effort is weather dependent. Should sustained heavy rains be forecasted Friday afternoon, the operation will be rescheduled for the following weekend. Specifically:          

Starting at 9:00 p.m., Friday, May 30:          
Maryland:          
• I-95/I-495 South/Beltway Inner Loop will be reduced to one lane.          
• The ramp from I-295 to the Inner Loop will be closed and traffic will be detoured.          
• The ramp from the Inner Loop to National Harbor will be will be closed and traffic will be detoured to MD-210.          
• The ramp from National Harbor to the Inner Loop will be will be closed and traffic will be detoured from MD-210.          

Virginia:          
• Ramps from the Inner Loop to northbound and southbound Route 1 will be closed and traffic will be detoured to the Telegraph Road Interchange.          

Evening, Saturday, May 31:          
Maryland:          
• Traffic will be temporarily stopped (approx. 15 minutes) to open one lane across new bridge.          
• Ramps to and from the Inner Loop to National Harbor will reopen.          

Virginia:          
• Ramps from the Inner Loop to northbound and southbound Route 1, as well as to the Church Street exit, will reopen.          

By noon, Sunday, June 1:          
Maryland:          
• Once all paving and striping work is complete, all three lanes on the Inner Loop will reopen to traffic on the new bridge.          
• In Maryland, the ramp from I-295 to the Inner Loop will reopen.          

In the event that periodic rainfall or other unforeseen factors delay work progress, the schedule may slip further into Sunday. Under no circumstances, however, will any lanes or ramps remain closed later than 5:00 a.m. Monday, June 2.          

Approximately 1,500 tons of asphalt will be laid over the next week to improve the connections to and from the newly dedicated north span of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Once the weekend’s construction is finished, motorists from Maryland traveling on I-95 South (Inner Loop) will have an improved approach to the three lanes crossing the Potomac. In Virginia, new ramps taking travelers to northbound and southbound Route 1 will be completed. In addition, Alexandria’s Church Street exit, which has been closed in recent years, will reopen. The Church Street exit will make it easier for commuters and residents to access Old Town Alexandria and Mt. Vernon.