Mixing Bowl in Springfield messing up 495

[Thiebear]

I need someone to explain how this is better.

Doing my daily commute at 5:35 am with just a smidgen of traffic I again wonder what the heck they were thinking?

Your going down 495 from Alexandria towards 66/50/Tysons/270.

Phase 1 of the Crazyness!!!!!
The 4 lanes turn into 2 lanes as the 2 *FAST* lanes are forced to exit to 95! That I dont get...
It then turns into 2 lanes...

Phase 2 of the Crazyness!!!!!!
Everyone is back to 4 lanes again and everyone is trying to resort themselves into the appropriate lanes of speed...
Then 2 lanes from 95N? merge into *FAST* lanes *AGAIN* and just to make it just a tad worse it S snakes its way so the scared people and the idiots are going over the lines all over the place..

Phase #3 of the Crazyness!!!!
The 4 lanes then open UP to 6 Lanes from the *RIGHT* and people are all over the place passing from the left right and middle. The 2 extra lanes then end within 1 mile and everything goes back to normal..

There are definately some tightening of ALL of the extremities during that stretch though. IT is the reason not to be on the phone or eating or anything else during that time frame.

They are fixing the Mixing bowl and screwing up 495 at the exact same location just as badly as the mixing bowl was messed up...

[jbooma]

It takes a lot of time because of how big a project this is. I think 495 is much better now then it was a couple of years ago.

[Thiebear]

I think going FROM 270 towards DC 495 is about 85% better..

Going the other way is a nightmare... the 3 lanes that used to get blocked on the right have turned into 3 lanes on left?

thats better?

[jbooma]

Originally posted by Thiebear
I think going FROM 270 towards DC 495 is about 85% better..

Going the other way is a nightmare... the 3 lanes that used to get blocked on the right have turned into 3 lanes on left?

thats better?

Its a start, on the other side they have seperated 95 from 495, eventually this will happen the other side. As long as you stay on the right you will be fine, just remember after vandorn get in the far right lane and you will miss all the 95 traffic. They are far from finished. The number one issues was the traffic merging on the 95 and that part is done, once they finish the construction on 95 then that backup will be gone.

[jbooma]

Here is what is left:

What's Coming

In late 2004, road crews will work on I-395 between Edsall Road and the Beltway, adding new lanes and a ramp to carry I-395 south motorists to Springfield and Franconia via Route 644.

By the end of 2005, a new bridge will carry I-395 southbound motorists onto I-495 towards the Wilson Bridge. New lanes separating long distance and local drivers will open for motorists heading from the Beltway to Route 644 and those using I-395 south towards Richmond or Springfield/Franconia. Drivers heading north on I-95 towards the Wilson Bridge will use a new bridge to access the outer loop.

In mid-2006, I-95 north motorists heading for I-495 north towards Tysons Corner will have new lanes and a bridge taking them directly through the interchange. A new ramp from the Commerce Street Bridge to the inner-loop will open, as will new lanes separating local and long distance drivers between I-395 south and I-95 south. There will also be a new alignment for the HOV lanes.

In spring 2007, there will be a new right lane exit for outer loop motorists heading to I-395 north. In addition, anyone going from the Tysons Corner area towards either Richmond or Route 644 on I-95 south will have their own lanes. A new bridge in Springfield will open giving Route 644 east travelers access to I-395/I-95 without having to shift lanes.

Phases 2 and 3 are complete and included improvements to the I-95 and Route 644 interchange as well as to local roads and bridges in Springfield. Phase 4 started in November 2000 and will be complete in fall 2004. Phase 5 began in September 2001 and will be complete in December 2003. Those phases include widening the Beltway between Braddock Road and Van Dorn Street. Crews also widened I-95/395 between Commerce Street and Edsall Road to accommodate new lanes and bridges that will separate long distance and local traffic and eliminate the weaving and merging that currently exists. These phases also include construction of the mile-long, 120-foot high bridge for traffic heading west on I-495 to I-95 south.

[Soliloquy]

In my experience, the new "flyover" has helped the inner loop traffic flow in the afternoon immensely.