Bridge shutdown will be painful but quick.
It has to happen. It’s the only way to get the job done in a reasonable time frame. It’s like pulling a bandage quickly off a wound.
Of course, we’re talking about the total shutdown of the Frederick Douglass (South Capitol Street) Bridge. This will have a major impact on those who cross the Anacostia River twice a day to get to work and back home.
For those who don’t know, the Douglass Bridge is one of the old-style swing bridges that rotate to create space for boats and ships to pass through.
It is also not opened very often. The bridge has been around for a long time and is badly in need of some repair.
If crews tried to do the work during the middle of the day or even during the overnight hours, it would take a very long time.
The decision has been made, and I believe it’s the correct one, to completely shut the bridge down for July and August in order to get the work done quickly and properly.
This shutdown will occur immediately after the July Fourth holiday.
Crews will lower the bridge to make it more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists, and the whole thing will get repaved and repainted. A number of streetscape improvements also will be made.
Of course, there are other bridges that cross the Anacostia, but they general carry a full load every day.
Any additional traffic on the 11th Street Bridge (the one marked “Navy Yard”) and the Sousa Bridge that carries Pennsylvania Avenue over the river will create a traffic nightmare.
That’s why the city has offered so-called Bridge Bucks that pay people to take transit instead of driving, and it is adding a temporary lane on part of the northbound detour to increase capacity.
Maybe this would be a good time to actually formalize the name of the bridge known as the 11th Street Bridge for those who have seen it only from I-295.
The only sign for the “11th Street Bridge” is on the approach from Anacostia, an area few commuters have even seen.
For years, traffic reports have made mention of this bridge, and I’ve always wondered how long it takes newcomers to this town to catch on.
Anyway, this renovation will be a mess, but it will be over rather soon.
Since many people will be on vacation for a portion of the time this work is being done, there is a good chance that traffic volumes will be lower, and that is what the city is counting on.
Responding to a piece from last week about all of the traffic roundabouts that are popping up and how poorly people drive through them, Charles writes: “Why confuse people? Circles are not four-way stops. They are for going. First car in circle has the right of way. They work well for me.”
That’s the way it’s supposed to work, but it’s not always clear-cut, and my suggestion to treat them like a four-way stop was more to use caution and not to come to a full stop before proceeding. Sorry for the confusion.
