| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Steve Titunik 703.928.6569 Steve.Titunik@VDOT.Virginia.gov |
CO-N05-SP72 Sept. 14, 2005 |
Major Mixing Bowl Overnight Detours Continue, I-395 North Closed Set for Thursday/Saturday/Monday Nights, Sept 15, 17, 19 HOV Lanes North open to all traffic to Pentagon area and Washington Motorists heading to local I-395 North exits and to I-495 North (Capital Beltway-inner loop) towards Tysons Corner must use detour
Major Mixing Bowl Overnight Detours Continue, I-395 North Closed Set for Thursday/Saturday/Monday Nights, Sept 15, 17, 19
HOV Lanes North open to all traffic to Pentagon area and Washington
Motorists heading to local I-395 North exits and to I-495 North (Capital Beltway-inner loop) towards Tysons Corner must use detour
What
Weather permitting, VDOT will shut down the I-395 northbound lanes at Springfield on Thursday night, Sept 15 at 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. Friday morning, Sept 16, on Saturday night, Sept 17, 8:30 p.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday morning, Sept 18 and again on Monday night, Sept 19, 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tuesday morning, Sept 20.
Construction crews will erect the remaining 4 spliced steel bridge beams over the I-395 north travel lanes just before the Capitol Beltway, I-495. Two beams were installed on Saturday night, Sept 10 during a night closure. A total of 6 beams must be installed in this bridge section over the I-395 north lanes. I-495 East/I-95 North, outer loop traffic, towards the Woodrow Wilson Bridge/Baltimore is not impacted. Northbound I-395 motorists seeking access to local exits from Edsall Road north towards Washington, DC and motorists heading to the Beltway, inner loop, towards Tysons Corner, will use a seven-mile detour onto I-495 East/I-95 North, beltway outer loop one exit to Van Dorn Street, to Eisenhower Avenue and back onto the beltway west to access Exit 170B for I-395 north (local exits) or continue on inner loop towards Tysons Corner. The seven-mile detour could take up to 45 minutes before midnight. I-95 north motorists heading directly to the Pentagon area and into Washington, DC are encouraged to use the HOV lanes that will be open northbound throughout the work period. Use to avoid the detour.
Why
Crews will hoist and place a minimum of one beam on Thursday and Monday nights and two beams on Saturday night. Each girder is spliced together to form one beam, approximately 280 feet long, about 83 tons, nearly 100 feet into the air setting them onto bridge piers directly over the I-395 north lanes. For the safety of construction workers and motorists traffic must be detoured due to the intricate, delicate and dangerous work.
Work Schedule
DETOUR IN EFFECT: Thurs night, Sept 15: All lanes shut at 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m., Fri morning, Sept 16. HOV lanes open north.
DETOUR IN EFFECT: Sat night, Sept 17: All lanes shut at 8:30 p.m. to 10 a.m., Sun morning, Sept 18. HOV lanes open north.
DETOUR IN EFFECT: Mon night, Sept 19: All lanes shut at 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m., Tues morning, Sept 20. HOV lanes open north.
Note: Work expected to be completed by Tuesday morning, Sept 20. If weather causes a postponement of any of the work outlined additional full night closures will be necessary.
Who is Affected
-- Drivers on I-95 north heading to I-395 north, local lanes towards Washington, D.C.
-- Drivers on I-95 north heading to I-495 north towards Tysons Corner.
Detour
Affected motorists will be detoured onto the I-95 north ramp to the Beltway’s outer loop, I-495 east, towards the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, to the next exit: Van Dorn Street. Turn left at top of ramp onto northbound Van Dorn Street, turn right on Eisenhower Avenue, turn right on Eisenhower Connector to Beltway inner loop, I-495 west. Continue to I-395 north (towards Washington, DC or to I-495 north towards Tysons Corner.) Detour route will be clearly signed. Virginia State Police, Fairfax County Police, Alexandria police and VDOT Safety Service Patrol will direct and monitor traffic.
Note
Motorists heading for I-395 north exits who are familiar with the area may consider staying on Van Dorn Street north to access Edsall Road or Duke Street to get back onto I-395 north without having to pass through the detour route.
Alternate Route
From Richmond heading towards Baltimore: Take Route 301 north into Maryland. Also, I-95 north in Fairfax County: Lorton Exit 163 and Fairfax County Parkway east Exit 166 may be used to access Route 1 north. A map of the detour route is on the Springfield Interchange Project web site: www.springfieldinterchange.com
Bridge Completion Benefit
VDOT is hopeful that with continued good weather and an aggressive fall construction schedule the new bridge may open on or around December 31. When opened, the new bridge will make a significant improvement in easing I-95/395 north traffic congestion as motorists heading up I-95 north heading toward the Woodrow Wilson Bridge/Baltimore will access the new bridge south of the ‘mixing bowl’ and no longer enter into the mix of vehicles that currently gets tangled as motorists jockey for position to get into the correct I-395 north lanes and those heading to the right lanes to reach I-495 east/I-95N. Navigating through the I-95/395/495 will be smoother, safer and quicker.
Weather permitting, VDOT will shut down the I-395 northbound lanes at Springfield on Thursday night, Sept 15 at 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. Friday morning, Sept 16, on Saturday night, Sept 17, 8:30 p.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday morning, Sept 18 and again on Monday night, Sept 19, 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tuesday morning, Sept 20.
Construction crews will erect the remaining 4 spliced steel bridge beams over the I-395 north travel lanes just before the Capitol Beltway, I-495. Two beams were installed on Saturday night, Sept 10 during a night closure. A total of 6 beams must be installed in this bridge section over the I-395 north lanes. I-495 East/I-95 North, outer loop traffic, towards the Woodrow Wilson Bridge/Baltimore is not impacted. Northbound I-395 motorists seeking access to local exits from Edsall Road north towards Washington, DC and motorists heading to the Beltway, inner loop, towards Tysons Corner, will use a seven-mile detour onto I-495 East/I-95 North, beltway outer loop one exit to Van Dorn Street, to Eisenhower Avenue and back onto the beltway west to access Exit 170B for I-395 north (local exits) or continue on inner loop towards Tysons Corner. The seven-mile detour could take up to 45 minutes before midnight. I-95 north motorists heading directly to the Pentagon area and into Washington, DC are encouraged to use the HOV lanes that will be open northbound throughout the work period. Use to avoid the detour.
Why
Crews will hoist and place a minimum of one beam on Thursday and Monday nights and two beams on Saturday night. Each girder is spliced together to form one beam, approximately 280 feet long, about 83 tons, nearly 100 feet into the air setting them onto bridge piers directly over the I-395 north lanes. For the safety of construction workers and motorists traffic must be detoured due to the intricate, delicate and dangerous work.
Work Schedule
DETOUR IN EFFECT: Thurs night, Sept 15: All lanes shut at 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m., Fri morning, Sept 16. HOV lanes open north.
DETOUR IN EFFECT: Sat night, Sept 17: All lanes shut at 8:30 p.m. to 10 a.m., Sun morning, Sept 18. HOV lanes open north.
DETOUR IN EFFECT: Mon night, Sept 19: All lanes shut at 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m., Tues morning, Sept 20. HOV lanes open north.
Note: Work expected to be completed by Tuesday morning, Sept 20. If weather causes a postponement of any of the work outlined additional full night closures will be necessary.
Who is Affected
-- Drivers on I-95 north heading to I-395 north, local lanes towards Washington, D.C.
-- Drivers on I-95 north heading to I-495 north towards Tysons Corner.
Detour
Affected motorists will be detoured onto the I-95 north ramp to the Beltway’s outer loop, I-495 east, towards the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, to the next exit: Van Dorn Street. Turn left at top of ramp onto northbound Van Dorn Street, turn right on Eisenhower Avenue, turn right on Eisenhower Connector to Beltway inner loop, I-495 west. Continue to I-395 north (towards Washington, DC or to I-495 north towards Tysons Corner.) Detour route will be clearly signed. Virginia State Police, Fairfax County Police, Alexandria police and VDOT Safety Service Patrol will direct and monitor traffic.
Note
Motorists heading for I-395 north exits who are familiar with the area may consider staying on Van Dorn Street north to access Edsall Road or Duke Street to get back onto I-395 north without having to pass through the detour route.
Alternate Route
From Richmond heading towards Baltimore: Take Route 301 north into Maryland. Also, I-95 north in Fairfax County: Lorton Exit 163 and Fairfax County Parkway east Exit 166 may be used to access Route 1 north. A map of the detour route is on the Springfield Interchange Project web site: www.springfieldinterchange.com
Bridge Completion Benefit
VDOT is hopeful that with continued good weather and an aggressive fall construction schedule the new bridge may open on or around December 31. When opened, the new bridge will make a significant improvement in easing I-95/395 north traffic congestion as motorists heading up I-95 north heading toward the Woodrow Wilson Bridge/Baltimore will access the new bridge south of the ‘mixing bowl’ and no longer enter into the mix of vehicles that currently gets tangled as motorists jockey for position to get into the correct I-395 north lanes and those heading to the right lanes to reach I-495 east/I-95N. Navigating through the I-95/395/495 will be smoother, safer and quicker.
Page last modified: Sept. 19, 2005
