Every year, we take a look ahead at major transportation construction projects in the region scheduled to be completed sometime during the coming year.
Every year, we take a look ahead at major transportation construction projects in the region scheduled to be completed sometime during the coming year.
Transportation construction boomed in 2022 with several generational projects completed: the Silver Line extension, Express Toll lanes on I-66, and D.C.’s first major bus lane project. In somewhat of a rare instance for big transportation projects, the new, expanded Harry Nice Bridge opened months earlier than planned. So the new bridge between Charles County, Maryland, and King George County, Virginia, missed our 2022 and 2023 lists!
Still, 2023 has quite the laundry list of new Metro stations, highway express lane expansions, and new bike lane projects.
We know construction schedules are notoriously finicky and projects are often delayed for a number of reasons. We tried to verify this list against project websites and reach out for confirmation, but schedules do change often. You can also find our lists from 2020, 2021, and 2022.
You can click on the lines and icons on the map below for more information, and read below for more details on each project.
Potomac Yard Metro station
What: The new $370 million infill station on the Blue and Yellow lines in Alexandria’s Potomac Yard neighborhood. The new station is between the National Airport stop and the Braddock Road stop. Metro announced two delays in recent years, because of a signaling systems integration problem and soil stability issues under the tracks.
When: May 2023 (a year behind schedule)
Where: Alexandria’s Potomac Yard area (right behind Target).
Why: The Potomac Yard and greater National Landing area is set to become a key economic and educational center in the coming years as Virginia Tech opens a campus near the station and Amazon moves in up the road. Other mixed-use apartment, office, and shopping developments are also underway. The station is expected to attract 12,000 riders a day.
Project website: Potomac Yard Metro
Yellow Line bridge and tunnel
What: Metro’s Yellow Line bridge over the Potomac River and a tunnel leading to L’Enfant Plaza are getting a complete rehab. Metro marked the infrastructure project as its top priority. The project has shut down the entire Yellow Line for months, forcing riders to find alternative routes.
When: May 2023
Where: Bridge across the Potomac River and tunnel to L’Enfant Plaza.
Why: Metro has had water infiltrating the tunnel and needs to re-line it to prevent dripping water from sparking electrical fires. Meanwhile, the 50-year-old bridge is corroding and needs upgrades, including replacing bridge bearings and expansion joints, to keep it viable.
Project website: Yellow Line project
I-95 Express Lanes Extension to Fredericksburg
What: A 10-mile extension of the reversible, two-lane Express Lanes. The “High Occupancy Toll” or HOT lanes allow vehicles with three or more people to use the lanes for free. Vehicles with fewer than that have to pay a variable toll based on congestion in the regular lanes. The more congestion, the higher the toll. This project is pretty far outside our usual coverage area, but the stretch of 95 is so notorious and familiar to those heading into or out of D.C. that it made our list. The project was delayed from a 2022 opening because of soil issues.
When: Late 2023
Where: On I-95 from Route 610/Garrisonville Road near Aquia Harbour to Route 17 near Fredericksburg
Why: The stretch of interstate between D.C. and Richmond is one of the most congested in the nation. The new lanes will provide an option for drivers that want to pay for a more reliable trip down 95. The extension means Express Lanes will be an option all the way from the Potomac River to the Rappahannock River. Mass transit vehicles and commuter and school buses will get free access to the lanes.
Project website: I-95 Express Lanes
9th Street protected bike lane
What: A 1.5-mile protected cycle lane for both north and southbound bicyclists on 9th Street from Shaw to downtown. The street was redesigned to accommodate the lanes and some parking was removed along the route, which angered some businesses. Others are excited about the new lanes. The project was controversial in its planning stages among churches concerned about losing parking.
When: Early 2023
Where: 9th Street from Florida Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue.
Why: The District has committed to reducing car trips and increasing transit, bike, and walking trips. The new lanes provide a valuable north-south connector in D.C.’s bike lane network and are a companion “bike highway” to the 15th Street cycle lanes . D.C. officials say it will provide a “safe, continuous, separated bicycle facility between some of the densest and fastest-growing areas of DC, connecting residential, retail, and institutional land uses with the downtown core.”
Project website: 9th Street NW Protected Bike Lane Project
Pennsylvania Avenue SE redesign
What: New bus and bike-only lanes will stretch from nearly the Capitol to the Anacostia River to make bike travel safer and bus travel faster (getting stuck in less morning and evening rush hour traffic). Parking will be removed to accommodate the bike lane, which will be installed next year, but vehicles can still park in the bus-only lanes during off hours.
When: Spring/Summer 2023
Where: Pennsylvania Avenue SE from 2nd Street NE to Barney Circle
Why: The District has committed to reducing car trips and increasing transit, bike, and walking trips. It aims to improve safety for pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle traffic. It will also speed bus trips for the 22,000 riders who use the corridor for transit daily.
Project website: Pennsylvania Avenue SE
C Street Road Diet/Cycletrack
What: A reduction of vehicle lanes (hence, “road diet”) and reconfiguration to add bike lanes. The project also adds raised crosswalks, a protected bike lane, and other traffic calming measures.
When: Early 2023
Where: C Street NE near RFK Stadium
Why: It’s a major corridor for commuters and the road is wide and fast. With the reduced number of lanes, it should slow cars down and give cyclists a safer option to get through the area. The raised crosswalks should make it safer for pedestrians, too.
Project website: C Street NE Implementation Project
New Automated Traffic Enforcement cameras in D.C.
What: D.C. is nearly doubling the number of Automated Traffic Enforcement cameras around the District in 2023. About 130 new cameras will enforce red lights, speed, stop signs, and a new category: bus-only lane violations.
When: Throughout 2023
Where: Throughout the District (locations published regularly here)
Why: D.C. has used ATE cameras for the better part of 20 years, and officials say it’s a more equitable and just way to hand out tickets. Many residents hate them, but officials say the vast majority of people who are involved get one or two tickets and then never get one again because they’ve changed their driving behavior. With bus lane cameras, the District is trying to ensure the bus-only lanes are free from vehicles during rush hours, improving traffic flow for transit users to make it more attractive and efficient.
Project website: DDOT’s ATE program
Boundary Channel Drive/I-395 Interchange
What: Reducing lanes, reconfiguring ramps, installing two roundabouts, and building a 12-foot path on one side and an 8-foot sidewalk on the other. They will create a new link between the Mount Vernon Trail to the Pentagon and Long Bridge Park.
When: Fall 2023
Where: Near the Pentagon
Why: The area is near the notorious Exit 8C on I-395 which has caused dozens of crashes documented on video. The project eliminates one of the on-ramps that is just 300 feet away from the 8C exit. Drivers try to cut across four lanes of traffic in that short amount of space. A new ramp will give drivers more space to cross the lanes, expanding the distance between ramps from 300 feet to 1,200 feet. It also will provide better bike and pedestrian connections to the Pentagon and other places.
Project website: Boundary Channel Drive Interchange
Widening of U.S. 1/Baltimore Avenue
What: A 1.4-mile reconstruction of U.S. 1. that will widen the road to two lanes in each direction, and add turn lanes and five-foot bike paths on each side. The project also improves sidewalks and brings crosswalk ramps into ADA compliance. The road goes through the heart of College Park and the University of Maryland.
When: Summer 2023
Where: College Park
Why: The Maryland Department of Transportation says the road widening will support current and future development and “improve traffic operations and safety for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.”
Project website: U.S. 1
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the status of new bike lanes at East Potomac Park. They are not yet complete.