(Washington, DC) As part of the continuing efforts to expedite the 11th Street Bridge Project construction while minimizing impacts on residents and motorists, Mayor Vincent Gray and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Terry Bellamy announced today that the ramp from 13th Street, SE to the inbound freeway bridge will remain open until the new local bridge opens late this Spring.

“My Administration continues to successfully advance the 11th Street Bridge Project with as little impact on residents and motorists as possible,” said Mayor Gray. “I’m happy to announce that we’ve worked with contractors to have the 13th Street ramp close only after the new local 11th Street Bridge opens in late May/early June.”

The 11th Street Bridge Team considered closing the 13th Street ramp in March 2012 to more quickly build new ramps from southbound DC 295 to the new inbound 11th Street Freeway Bridge and from the new outbound 11th Street Freeway Bridge to northbound DC 295.

Closing the ramp prior to opening the local bridge would reduce commuter traffic passing through local neighborhoods but would also cause local motorists to be detoured via Howard Road to northbound I-295 to cross the inbound 11th Street
Freeway Bridge.

“As has been a hallmark of the 11th Street Bridge Project under the Gray Administration, we proactively communicated with residents and motorist as early as possible about the ramp closure but continued to consider additional options that would reduce the impact,” said Director Bellamy. “As a result, this project continues to be a model for how major infrastructure projects in the District can be built in partnership with residents and other key stakeholders.”

The new ramps between the freeway bridges and DC 295 are scheduled to open by fall with additional new ramps between the local bridge and both directions of DC 295/I-295 opening later in 2012 and early in 2013.

Project Details

The 11th Street Bridge Project is one of the major infrastructure improvements included in the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI) – a multi-agency effort currently underway to restore and revitalize the Anacostia River and its waterfronts.

DDOT began construction on the 11th Street Bridge Project in December 2009 to replace the two existing bridges with three new spans and improve the related interchanges. The old bridges are functionally obsolete and structurally deficient. Close to 400 workers are working on the project each day, including many District residents.

The new bridges are projected to carry almost 180,000 vehicles per day by 2030, and will also serve as an improved emergency evacuation route from the nation’s capital.

DDOT has worked closely with residents, civic associations and businesses groups throughout the planning, design and construction of the bridges and will continue to do so until the entire project is complete.

A second phase of work to improve the connections between the SE/SW Freeway and the 11th Street Bridges is scheduled to begin in 2012 and is expected to be completed in 2015.