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When I'm driving south on the anacostia freeway, aka 295, It is really annoying that there is no exit for Pennsylvania Ave West...which would go to 395. Is this just to force traffic elsewhere and annoy everyone? Is there an easy way to circumvent this?
I have no idea why there isn't an exit there, but the Howard Road exit works. When you take the exit just follow signs for the Nationals stadium and/or 395. It takes you onto 395 right at the South Capitol entrance.
An exit there was planned back in the early 90's by then Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly but the NIMBY's blocked it. The Barney Circle Project would have connected 295 & 395 in both directions with a new bridge north of Pennsylvania Ave.
For the same reason you can't drive up 395, through town and then hop on 295 north.
Connecting ramps disrupt neighborhoods, and politicians pay attention to neighborhood advocacy groups.
Think of it this way: You're the Mayor or a member of DC city council.
All things being equal, who are you going to look out for: DC homeowners who are active in their neighborhoods, or folks who want an easier time commuting into or through the city?
I've actually read that DC is planning to make it much harder to get through the city this way. They want to discourage people commuting from PG County to Virginia, which is I guess the source of a great deal of the traffic during rush hour. I think part of the plan is to close the tunnel that goes from NY Ave to 395. I'm not sure congress would allow that to happen.
I've actually read that DC is planning to make it much harder to get through the city this way. They want to discourage people commuting from PG County to Virginia, which is I guess the source of a great deal of the traffic during rush hour. I think part of the plan is to close the tunnel that goes from NY Ave to 395. I'm not sure congress would allow that to happen.
I heard that too, and it's going to be a disaster for a lot of people.
Tons of jobs in NOVA + Tons of cheaper homes in PG = swarm of through-town commuters.
East Capitol street is already a dangerous nightmare heading east during evening rush.
And it's not like the wilson bridge needs an influx of commuters every day.
I think DC needs to worry about making the city more livable and appealing, not antagonizing people who live outside its borders. The bordering states are not the enemy, we're all part of the same country.
Well, commuters going through DC don't pay local taxes (except for sales) and the federal government is shafting new metro expenditures so why should commuters be subsidized to cut through a city? The fact is that more and more DC residents don't want highways cutting off neighborhoods from each other and want a more "European" city. I think this is the way foreward, especially if gas stays this price or goes up. So if you all want a fast route connecting PG and NOVA either bury it in a tunnel for loads of money or opt for better public transport. I'd go with the latter.
Also that article you linked has a poll that shows, with a 20 percent margin, even commuters from outside DC believe that the DIstrict should discourage driving and promote public transit.
Putting in a ramp or two, into the existing system, won't hurt the dreams of making DC into a more "European" city, since the drivers are driving in anyways. Getting the FEds, as mentioned in the article, to stop offering free parking, and expanding parking at Metro lots, would do more than withholding a ramp or two do to attain those dreams.
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