As of 10 a.m. today, northbound commuters will have to find a new way around the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, a major commuter route that drops Maryland drivers onto South Capitol Street in the area of the Washington Nationals’ new stadium.

The temporary closure, which could last until 4 a.m. Monday, is the first step in a major overhaul of the 66-year-old bridge. Between now and April 2008, when the stadium is scheduled to open and the bridgework is slated for completion, 19 expansion joints will be replaced, the northernmost, three-block portion of the bridge will be lowered to ground level and the entire structure will be repaved and painted.