Contact (Media Only): Erik Linden (202) 671-2004 and Karyn LeBlanc (202) 671-3490
(Washington, DC) Improvements to the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge (sometimes referred to as the South Capitol Street Bridge) will continue this weekend, as crews continue repairs on the southbound or outbound lanes.
Following the evening rush hour on Friday, June 1 at 10 pm, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will temporarily close the southbound (outbound) lanes on the Douglass Bridge.
All lanes will be reopened in time for the Monday (June 4) evening rush hour. Outbound bridge drivers will be directed to follow signed detours to I-395 South across the 11th Street Bridge to I-295 South. Drivers also may consider taking either New York Avenue or Benning Road as alternate routes.
This weekend’s bridge repairs and closure of the outbound lanes is expected to be the final weekend closure of the Douglass Bridge, in preparation for a major bridge rehabilitation that will take place this summer, requiring the bridge to be completely shut-down in July and August to traffic and pedestrians. During this time, the bridge’s elevated northern approach will be lowered to become an at-grade roadway with a new intersection at South Capitol Street and Potomac Avenue.
Additional improvements will occur such as paving and painting the entire bridge. Ultimately, nearly three blocks of elevated roadway—which currently act as a barrier to access across South Capitol Street—will be removed and replaced with at-grade intersections that will help knit the neighborhood together. This weekend’s closure will conclude a total of eight one-direction-only weekend closures on the Douglass Bridge that began in January 2007.
The off-peak weekend closures and repairs have been needed to allow workers to safely replace bridge expansion joints with new joints (joints allow a bridge to flex when temperature changes occur). The joint replacement work is in preparation for this summer’s major bridge renovation.