(Washington, DC) – Commuters and residents of Anacostia and Capitol Hill have something else to celebrate this holiday season as the 11th Street Bridge Project crosses another significant milestone.

Phase I of the project will move one step closer to completion next week when the outbound ramp between I-695 outbound and northbound DC 295 officially opens for traffic, on or about December 19 (see map below). The new ramp from southbound DC 295 ramp to the I‐695 inbound freeway bridge opened on July 30, 2012.

“Together, these new ramps provide the long awaited missing interstate connections that will ease congestion, improve commutes and connect communities,” said District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Terry Bellamy. “For more than 40 years drivers have had to use makeshift routes and maneuver through neighborhoods to get from freeway to freeway, and that will no longer be necessary.”

When Phase I is completed next year, the project will feature three new bridges, a new 16-feet pedestrian and bicycle path that connects to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, and space for future streetcar tracks. Phase II, which began this summer, is located within the Capitol Hill/Navy Yard area and includes replacing the 2-lane outbound I-695 (SE/SW Freeway) flyover bridge over M Street with a new 3-lane bridge structure. It will also lay the groundwork for replacement of the SE Freeway with a neighborhood boulevard between 11th Street, SE and Barney Circle.

As part of Phase II construction, DDOT closed the westbound Southeast Freeway between Pennsylvania Avenue and 8th Street, SE on November 29. The full closure of the westbound SE Freeway will remain in place for approximately 18 to 20 months while crews complete improvements to the freeway. During the closure, motorists traveling southbound on DC-295 (Anacostia Freeway) and westbound on Pennsylvania Avenue, SE will use the new I-695 inbound freeway bridge to reach the Southeast/Southwest Freeway and I-395.

The entire 11th Street Bridge project is scheduled to be complete in mid-2015.

For more information and to follow the bridge project and AWI Program’s progress, please visit anacostiawaterfront.org/11thStreetBridge . To join the project or AWI community contact list or ask questions, please email ddot.awi@dc.gov  or call (202) 741-8528.