After nearly six years of waiting in gridlock while construction continued on the $2.4 billion Woodrow Wilson Bridge project, frustrated commuters will have their first chance to drive across the new southern span next month, officials said Wednesday.
Transportation officials, however, are warning excited commuters to “stay away” — at least for the first few days.
John Undeland, a spokesman for the project, said officials plan to open one lane of traffic on the weekend of June 9 or June 16, with the remaining two lanes of the Outer Loop to be phased in.
“I know the temptation is there,” Undeland said. “But people need to be aware that they will be waiting in miles and miles of backups. We are suggesting people wait a little while.”
Officials are offering the same advice when the Inner Loop portion of the new span is gradually opened in mid-July. While major congestion relief is not expected until the northern span and new ramps are opened in the summer of 2008, transportation officials said there will be some immediate results. Travelers should experience fewer delays because the new shoulders — which do not exist on the current bridge — will allow disabled vehicles to move out of the flow of traffic and give quick emergency response vehicles quick access.
“This is a major milestone for the project, but more importantly, it is a big step forward for long-suffering travelers,” said Bob Douglass, project manager for the Maryland State Highway Administration. “With the new bridge opening and the improvements to come, motorists, truckers and others will start experiencing reduced travel times and greater safety.”
The Wilson Bridge
» A formal dedication ceremony is scheduled for May 18.
» The Wilson Bridge carries more than 225,000 vehicles per day.
» The six-lane bridge has been a major chokepoint since nearly all of the Capital Beltway, which crosses the bridge, was widened to eight lanes.
» The existing bridge, designed for just 75,000 vehicles per day, was opened to traffic on Dec. 28, 1961.
