Weekend Road & Rail: Weather rules the roadwork; Metro single tracking on 5 of 6 lines - WTOP News (2024)

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This weekend’s roadwork will be dictated by the weather. With snow and possible freezing conditions in the forecast, there is destined to be last minute changes with snow clearing and treatment becoming the focus.

Plans to the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway have already begun changing, so we’ve included those along with a few other tentative plans.

Be sure to stay tuned to WTOP and traffic on the 8s for any up to the minute changes and specifics.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re hitting the roads in the D.C. area this weekend.

Roadwork

Virginia

Due to this weekend’s inclement weather forecast, the bridge beam installation work in Centreville as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project began a day earlier, with a closure expected to remain the same.

This work began Thursday night, but is still on the docket for this weekend, weather permitting. All lanes of I-66 West are scheduled to be closed nightly west of Stringfellow Road between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. over the weekend, and 10 p.m. through 4 a.m. Sunday through Tuesday. This work is to allow installation of bridge beams for a new ramp from the future I-66 Express Lanes.

Westbound I-66 traffic will be detoured using the new collector-distributor lane, Route 28, and Westfields Boulevard. The ramp to Braddock Road/Walney Road from I-66 West will remain accessible while this detour is in place.

A few other locations that could see impactful changes for I-66 Project, weather permitting, include the following:

I-495 South at I-66

Friday, January 28: 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Three lanes will be closed for overhead bridge work with periodic stoppages of up to 20 minutes during the overnight hours.

Ramp from I-495 North (Main and Express) to I-66 West

Friday, January 28: 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The ramps will be closed and detoured.

Ramp from I-495 North to I-66 East

Friday, January 28: 10:30 p.m. to 4:30 am.

The ramp will be closed and detoured.

I-66 East from Cedar Lane to Gallows Road

Friday, January 28, and Saturday, January 29: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Three lanes will be closed for overhead bridge work near Prosperity Avenue, and overhead bridge demolition at Gallows Road.

• Traffic will be directed into a single lane and diverted behind barrier onto the old general-purpose lanes.

I-66 West from I-495 to Gallows Road

Friday, January 28: 9:30 p.m. to 9 a.m.

Three lanes will be closed for bridge pier construction.

I-66 West from Jermantown Road to Route 50

Friday, January 28: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Two lanes will be closed for sound wall work.

I-66 West approaching Manassas Safety Rest Area/east of Route 234 Business (Sudley Road)

Friday, January 28, and Saturday, January 29: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Three lanes will be closed for overhead bridge beam installation.

• Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights I-66 West will be reduced to one travel lane near the Manassas Safety Rest Area.

I-66 East and West between Route 15 and Compton Road

Friday, January 28: Eastbound 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m./Westbound 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

One lane will be closed for lighting and utility work.

I-66 East from Groveton Road to Route 234 Business

Friday, January 28: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Three lanes will be closed for overhead sign installation.

As a reminder, all work is weather dependent, stay tuned for the latest and be sure to call the Traffic Center 24/7 at 866-304-WTOP with any updates.

Maryland

There are always ongoing projects to Maryland roadways, most of which can be found here. Since the weather could hamper anything going into this weekend, we will look a few changes in store for this week and things that transpired this week.

In Frederick, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) opened the new exit ramps on MD 85 Buckeystown Pike to northbound I-270 during overnight this past week.

There will be a new traffic shift going into place this week on MD 85 Buckeystown Pike between Crestwood Bouldevard / Shockley Drive and Sprectrum Drive as part of this ongoing rehabilitation project to replace to poorly rated bridges on I-270 (built in 1954).

The traffic shift will be necessary for crews to install underground drainage pipes and continue the widening work on northbound MD 85.

This will require the following temporary roadway closures overnight through Thursday as follows:

• Northbound MD 85 exit ramps to I-270 will be closed and detoured to I-70.
• Crestwood Boulevard will close between MD 85 and Westview Drive with detours posted.
• Land shifts and restrictions will be in place in both directions of MD 85.

There is now a new long-term lane closure on eastbound University Boulevard (MD 193) between Carroll Avenue and Riggs Road as part of the ongoing Purple Line Construction. This work is set up for utility relocations with other lanes and shifts possible during off peak times, including weekends.

Stay up to date on all the changes pertaining to the Purple Line work from Montgomery through Prince George’s Counties here.

DC

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has work on the I-395 Sign Structure Improvements Project planned for this weekend. Weather permitting, they will temporarily close the westbound lanes of New York Avenue NE between South Dakota Avenue NE and Bladensburg Road beginning on Friday, January 28, between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

During this time, traffic will be detoured using South Dakota Avenue NE and Bladensburg Road NE. Notable delays should be expected around the project area and motorists are advised to use an alternative route, if possible.

The weather could change any work, but DDOT does still have plans for the ongoing I-295/DC-295 Corridor Project. There could be temporarily closures on roadways, lanes, ramps between Laboratory Road/Naval Research exit 1 and the Suitland Parkway during off peak times, including weekends.

This weekend is expected to see a closure and detour of Potomac Avenue SE, as well as the eastbound Suitland Parkway between South Capitol Street SE and the ramp to I-295 Northbound from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. This will include the closure of the ramp from I-295 Southbound to eastbound Suitland Parkway.

Metro

This weekend Metrorail will be performing scheduled maintenance, which will require single tracking on all but the Red Line.

There continues to be reduced levels of service due to the ongoing 7000-series railcar investigation. For the latest information, check out the Metrorail 7000-series return to service update.

Metro will operate during normal weekend hours, 7 a.m. – 1 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. – midnight on Sunday, serving all 91 stations.

Weekend Service Summary:

Red Line: Trains every 12 minutes.

Blue, Orange Lines: Trains single tracking between McPherson Sq and Smithsonian stations.

Silver Lines: Trains operating between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston only.

• Transfer to/from Orange Line to continue trip.

Yellow and Green Line: Trains will single track between Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza.

• Under federal law and for your safety and the safety of others, customers are required to wear face masks while traveling on Metro buses, trains, MetroAccess vehicles and at indoor stations.