The Capital Beltway is a
Interstate Highway
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...
in the
Washington metropolitan area
The Washington metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the National Capital Region, is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C. The metropolitan area includes all of Washington, D.C. and parts of the states of Maryland, Virg ...
that surrounds
Washington, D.C., the capital of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
, and its inner suburbs in adjacent
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...
and
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...
. It is the basis of the phrase "
inside the Beltway", used when referring to issues dealing with U.S. federal government and politics. The highway is signed as Interstate 495 (I-495) for its entire length, and its southern and eastern half
runs concurrently with
I-95.
This
circumferential roadway is located not only in the states of Maryland and Virginia, but also crosses briefly (for about ) through the District of Columbia, near the western end of the
Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the
Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Datas ...
. The Beltway passes through
Prince George's County and
Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to:
Australia
* The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania
United Kingdom
* The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery
United States
* Montgomery County, Alabama
* Mon ...
in Maryland, and
Fairfax County and the independent city of
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandr ...
in Virginia.
The
Cabin John Parkway, a short connector between I-495 and the
Clara Barton Parkway near the Potomac River along the Maryland–Virginia border, is considered an Interstate
spur
A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...
(I-495X) by the
Maryland State Highway Administration
The Maryland State Highway Administration (abbreviated MDOT SHA or simply SHA) is the state transportation business unit responsible for maintaining Maryland's numbered highways outside Baltimore City. Formed originally under authority of the ...
.
Route description
Except for the westernmost part of Woodrow Wilson Bridge south of downtown Washington (the water below is considered part of the District of Columbia), the Capital Beltway encircles
Washington, D.C., in adjacent
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...
and
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...
. The two directions of travel,
clockwise
Two-dimensional rotation can occur in two possible directions. Clockwise motion (abbreviated CW) proceeds in the same direction as a clock's hands: from the top to the right, then down and then to the left, and back up to the top. The opposite ...
and
counterclockwise
Two-dimensional rotation can occur in two possible directions. Clockwise motion (abbreviated CW) proceeds in the same direction as a clock's hands: from the top to the right, then down and then to the left, and back up to the top. The opposite s ...
(looking at a map), have become known respectively as the "Inner Loop" and the "Outer Loop". The route descriptions below follow the direction of the Outer Loop, starting at the
Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Potomac River, south of Washington.
Most Beltway interchanges provide access to Washington, with
I-95 and
I-295 from the south,
I-66 from the west, and
US 50 from the west and the east are among the most frequently used. More scenic routes from the Beltway into the District are offered by the
George Washington Memorial Parkway
The George Washington Memorial Parkway, colloquially the G.W. Parkway, is a parkway that runs along the south bank of the Potomac River from Mount Vernon, Virginia, northwest to McLean, Virginia, and is maintained by the National Park Servic ...
along the Virginia side of the Potomac, the
Clara Barton Parkway along the Maryland side of the river, and the
Baltimore-Washington Parkway, approaching Washington from the northeast.
Initially, the entire Beltway was simply I-495, and
I-95 was planned to serve downtown Washington, D.C., from the south and north, intersecting the Beltway in Virginia and Maryland. However, environmental litigation stopped the completion of this plan, and the built portion of I-95 inside the Beltway from the south northward into downtown Washington was redesignated
I-395 in 1977. The small built portion from the north was converted into a park-and-ride lot. I-95 was then rerouted (and so signed) along the eastern side of the Beltway, with the I-495 designation left only along the western side. In 1989, the I-495 designation was also returned to the eastern portion, with the highway co-signed as I-95 and I-495 along this route.
District of Columbia
The Beltwayhere I-95 and I-495 together and four lanes in each directiontravels over the
tidal Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Datas ...
on the
Woodrow Wilson Bridge between
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of downtown Washington, D.C.
In 2020, the population was 159,467. ...
, and the neighborhood of
National Harbor of
Oxon Hill, Maryland. The
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program ...
(FHWA) recognizes of the bridge as crossing the tip of the southernmost corner of the
District of Columbia
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
,
but while there are signs acknowledging the MD and VA state borders, there are none for DC.
Maryland
Prince George's County
The Beltway (where I-95 and I-495 together) enters
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...
during its
Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Datas ...
crossing over the
Woodrow Wilson Bridge, west of
Forest Heights and
National Harbor as a ten-lane highway with a
local–express lane configuration including three local lanes and two express lanes in each direction. After crossing the Potomac, I-95/I-495 narrows to eight lanes with two local and two express lanes in each direction and immediately meets the southern terminus of
Interstate 295, known as the Anacostia Freeway, a route that serves downtown
Washington to the north, connecting in Washington to
Interstate 695. This large interchange also connects to National Harbor Boulevard, which links the National Harbor with the Beltway and I-295. The highway passes south of
Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Hill Farm
Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Cove Farm is a national historic district that includes a living farm museum operated by the National Park Service, and located at Oxon Hill, Prince George's County, Maryland. It is part of National Capital Parks-East. ...
, and next intersects
MD 210 (Indian Head Highway), a major north-south route from southern D.C. to
Indian Head in
Charles County, Maryland, which also serves the town of Forest Heights to the north at another interconnected interchange.
Heading eastward, the Beltway's (I-95/I-495) local–express lane configuration ends before it interchanges with various local highways, including
MD 5 and
MD 4 on either side of
Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint B ...
, which the Beltway travels near its northern edge. (Both MD 5 and MD 4 extend westward into D.C. and southeastward into
Southern Maryland.) Past the MD 4 interchange, the Beltway turns north through
Glenarden, interchanging with
MD 202.
The Beltway then interchanges with
US 50/unsigned
I-595, a major highway from downtown Washington eastward to
Annapolis
Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
, Maryland, and the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (also known locally as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the urban Western Shore, between ...
to Maryland's
Eastern Shore Eastern Shore may refer to:
* Eastern Shore (Nova Scotia), a region
* Eastern Shore (electoral district), a provincial electoral district in Nova Scotia
* Eastern Shore of Maryland, a region
* Eastern Shore of Virginia, a region
* Eastern Shore (Al ...
. Both US 50 and MD 450 (which interchanges with the Beltway slightly northward) provide access to the
New Carrollton station serving
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro (or simply Metro), formally the Metrorail,[Google Books search/preview ...](_blank)
's
Orange Line,
MARC's
Penn Line, and
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...
's
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston through Providence, New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Philadelphia, Wilmington, ...
railroad line, and the
New Carrollton area.
Turning northwest, the Beltway then enters
Greenbelt Park, intersecting the
Baltimore-Washington Parkway (B-W Parkway) on the northeastern edge of the park. Just after the B-W Parkway, I-95/I-495 passes an interchange with
MD 201, which connects to the southern terminus of the B-W Parkway at US 50 near the D.C. line. Now turned fully west, the Beltway runs through the northern edge of
College Park, interchanging with the access roadway for the
Greenbelt station serving Washington Metro's
Green
Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 Nanometre, nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by ...
and
Yellow
Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In ...
lines and MARC's
Camden Line in
Greenbelt, then
US 1.
Beyond the US 1 interchange, I-95 separates from I-495 at the College Park Interchange. I-495 continues west, alone, on the Capital Beltway, while I-95 turns northeast toward
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
. The interchange includes access to a
Park and Ride
A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system ...
lot, paved initially as part of I-95's route within the Beltway.
Montgomery County
Continuing west from the College Park Interchange, I-495 crosses into
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is the most populous county in the state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 1,062,061, increasing by 9.3% from 2010. The county seat and largest municipality is Rockville, although the census-design ...
, entering a heavily developed and populated area. Passing underneath
MD 212 with no access, the route interchanges with
MD 650 near the
George Washington Cemetery
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd President ...
. After bisecting
Northwest Branch Park
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
, the Beltway interchanges with
MD 193 and
US 29 south of
Four Corners; the two interchanges are little more than 1/2 mile apart. Southbound US 29 is the main route into downtown
Silver Spring, continuing into Washington.
Squeezing past Argyle Local Park and
Sligo Creek Golf Course
Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the largest urban cent ...
, the Beltway interchanges with
MD 97 northwest of Silver Spring, then follows an alignment formerly known as Rock Creek Parkway.
[Not the extant parkway in Rock Creek Park within D.C.] The route twists along the alignment, through and around
Rock Creek Park, then interchanges with
MD 185 near the
National Naval Medical Center. Turning northwest, I-495 soon encounters the southern terminus of
Interstate 270, which extends northwestward to meet
I-70 in
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in and the county seat of Frederick County, Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area, Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. Frederick has long been an important crossroads, located at the inter ...
.
I-270 and I-495 split at a highly complex Y-junction, with two separate HOV connections to I-270's HOV lanes and separate ramps to and from
MD 355 (formerly
US 240). The old Rock Creek Parkway alignment follows I-270 north, while I-495 turns west and enters the only other six-lane segment of the Beltway still in existence; significant levels of traffic exit onto I-270 north, leaving the six-lane segment west of the split adequate.
Interchanging with Old Georgetown Road (
MD 187), I-495 soon meets the
Interstate 270 Spur
Interstate 270 (I-270) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Maryland that travels from I-495 (Capital Beltway) just north of Bethesda in Montgomery County north to I-70 in the city of Frederick in Frederick County. I ...
, the other side of the I-270/I-495 triangle. I-495 joins I-270 Spur at a converging
wye
Wye may refer to:
Place names
*Wye, Kent, a village in Kent, England
** Wye College, agricultural college, part of University of London before closure in 2009
**Wye School, serving the above village
** Wye railway station, serving the above villa ...
junction; Inner Loop traffic exits from itself at the southern terminus of I-270 Spur, while Outer Loop traffic crosses the spur and enters it from the right. The two carriageways of I-495 temporarily widen to five lanes each until the
MD 190 and
Cabin John Parkway interchanges. (MD 190 provides access to the northwestern portion of Washington, D.C., and to the
Potomac and
Great Falls, Maryland areas of Maryland's
Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to:
Australia
* The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania
United Kingdom
* The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery
United States
* Montgomery County, Alabama
* Mon ...
, while the Cabin John Parkway extends to the
Clara Barton Parkway along the Potomac River.)
After these interchanges, the Beltway then narrows to eight lanes again. Turning sharply to the west, I-495 meets the Clara Barton Parkway along the north side of the
Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Datas ...
; this parkway provides a scenic route eastward into the western part of Washington and westward toward the Potomac River's
Great Falls. After this interchange, the Beltway soon crosses the
Potomac Gorge into
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...
over the ten-lane
American Legion Memorial Bridge.
Virginia
Immediately after crossing into
Fairfax County, Virginia, I-495 encounters the western terminus of the
George Washington Memorial Parkway
The George Washington Memorial Parkway, colloquially the G.W. Parkway, is a parkway that runs along the south bank of the Potomac River from Mount Vernon, Virginia, northwest to McLean, Virginia, and is maintained by the National Park Servic ...
at a
trumpet interchange; the Parkway provides a scenic route to
Arlington, Virginia, and downtown Washington. The Beltway then continues south, next interchanging with
VA 193 south of
Dranesville District Park, then reaches the extensive triangle of interchanges between I-495, the
Dulles Airport Access Road
State Route 267 (SR 267) is a primary state highway in the US state of Virginia. It consists of two end-to-end toll roads – the Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Greenway – as well as the non-tolled Dulles Access Road, which lies in the ...
,
VA 267, and
VA 123. The eastbound Dulles Access Road also provides access to I-66 for Outer Loop Beltway traffic. The former interchange with the toll road (VA 267) is a directional interchange, while the latter is a cloverleaf; the entire complex occurs east of the
Tysons
Tysons, also known as Tysons Corner, is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, developed from the corner of Chain Bridge Road ( SR 123) and the Leesburg Pike ( SR 7). Located in Northern Virginia between the c ...
business district.
Now running south, the Beltway interchanges with
VA 7 (Leesburg Pike) east of Tysons; passing
Dunn Loring
Dunn Loring is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 8,803 at the 2010 census. The area borders Merrifield, Vienna, and Tysons.Dunn Loring is in the Metropolitan Area and is a suburban area ...
to the east, I-495 soon reaches the complex interchange with
Interstate 66, which extends westward to
I-81 in the
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Rid ...
near
Strasburg, Virginia, and eastward to
Arlington and downtown Washington. In a similar design as the I-270/I-495 interchange, dedicated HOV connections exist between I-495 and I-66, with directional ramps providing the remaining connections. There is no access between the Outer Loop and eastbound I-66 at this interchange. Instead, Outer Loop traffic must use the eastbound
Dulles Access Road exit 3 miles (5 km) to the north in order to reach I-66 East.
[If a driver gets onto westbound I-66 at the Leesburg Pike (SR 7) entrance, the only choice for getting to northbound I-495 is to take I-66 west to the Nutley Street exit and then get on I-66 east. A similar situation occurs for going from the Dulles Access Road at Chain Bridge Road ( SR 123) to southbound I-495, where it is assumed that the driver will know to continue along SR 7 or SR 123 directly to the Beltway.] There are multiple ramps from I-66 east to the Inner Loop, with one ramp exiting from the left side of I-66 east and the other exiting from the right. The
Dulles Access Road leads to
Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport , typically referred to as Dulles International Airport, Dulles Airport, Washington Dulles, or simply Dulles ( ), is an international airport in the Eastern United States, located in Loudoun County and ...
, which then changes over to the
Dulles Greenway and ends at
Leesburg.
South of the I-66 interchange, the Beltway crosses under
US 29 and
VA 237 with no access, then encounters a large braided interchange between I-495,
US 50, and two local roads; the direct interchange between I-495 and US 50 is a full cloverleaf, while the braided local interchanges between I-495, US 50, and the local roads are modified
SPUIs. The entire complex is bounded on the northeast side by Fairview Lake and on the southwest side by an office complex.
Continuing due south, the route then interchanges with Gallows Road, then skirts the eastern edge of
Mill Creek Park before interchanging with
VA 236 southwest of
Annandale Community Park. Running along the eastern edge of
Wakefield Park, the Beltway turns southeast and interchanges with
VA 620 before turning east near
Flag Run Park
A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design emplo ...
and entering
Springfield, meeting the
Springfield Interchange
The Springfield Interchange, also known as the Mixing Bowl, is the interchange of Interstate 95, Interstate 395, and Interstate 495 in Springfield, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C. The interchange is located at exit 57 on the Capital Bel ...
with I-95 southeast of the
Shirley Industrial Complex
Shirley may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Shirley'' (novel), an 1849 novel by Charlotte Brontë
* ''Shirley'' (1922 film), a British silent film
* ''Shirley'' (2020 film), an American film
* ''Shirley'' (album), a 1961 album by Shirley Bas ...
.
I-95 joins the Beltway within the
Springfield Interchange
The Springfield Interchange, also known as the Mixing Bowl, is the interchange of Interstate 95, Interstate 395, and Interstate 495 in Springfield, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C. The interchange is located at exit 57 on the Capital Bel ...
. I-495 also meets the southern terminus of
Interstate 395 within the same massive interchange complex.
Running due east away from the interchange, crossing to the south of
Backlick Stream Valley Park, the Beltway (now I-95/I495) interchanges with
VA 613 a mile east of the Springfield Interchange. Continuing east, the Beltway encounters a diamond interchange with a connector road linking to Eisenhower Avenue, which parallels the Beltway for a short distance. Skirting the northern edges of
Loftridge Park and
Burgundy Park, the two routes enter
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandr ...
and soon reach
VA 241, a direct route into the city, currently under major reconstruction. Within the interchange, the Beltway nears the western approach to the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge.
Continuing east, the two routes encounter
US 1, a major north-south highway providing access to Alexandria,
Arlington and downtown Washington, as well as various points south in
Fairfax County, Virginia. Finally, beyond this complex interchange, I-95 and I-495 together cross Alexandria's
Jones Point Park
Jones may refer to:
People
*Jones (surname), a common Welsh and English surname
*List of people with surname Jones
*Jones (singer), a British singer-songwriter
Arts and entertainment
* Jones (''Animal Farm''), a human character in George Orwell' ...
and exit Virginia via the
Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
History
The idea of building a highway around the Washington suburbs had been discussed at least since 1944, when Fred W. Tummler, director of planning of the
National Capital Park and Planning Commission, proposed an Inter-County Metropolitan Freeway. The
Senate Public Works Committee
The United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is responsible for legislation and oversight of the natural and built environment and for studying matters concerning environmental protection and resource conservation and utili ...
backed the idea of building the highway in 1951, asking the Public Roads Bureau to prepare plans for the highway.
[ ] Backed by Senator
Francis Case of South Dakota, the plan called for the highway to begin in Beltsville at the nearly completed Baltimore-Washington Parkway, continue west through Silver Spring and Bethesda, cross the Potomac River over a new bridge, head south near Tysons Corner and Falls Church, turn east by the Shirley Memorial Highway, and end at Route 1 in Gum Springs. A 1952 amendment called for continuing the highway past Alexandria, over the Potomac River on a new bridge, and reconnect to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Maryland. By December 1952, the plan had evolved into a highway that fully encircled Washington's suburbs. The highway was intended to reduce traffic and also to offer an alternative route for the military in case of emergency.
[ The federal government gave final approval for the construction of the Capital Beltway (also known as the Circumferential Highway in the planning stages) on September 28, 1955. The first section of the long Beltway (including the ]Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge
The Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge (also known as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge or the Wilson Bridge) is a bascule bridge that spans the Potomac River between the independent city of Alexandria, Virginia, and Oxon Hill in Prince George's County, M ...
over the Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Datas ...
) was opened on December 21, 1961; the highway was completed on August 17, 1964.
Originally designated I-495, in 1977 the eastern portion of the Beltway was re-designated I-95 when a proposed alignment of I-95 from New York Avenue in Washington, D.C., through Prince George's County, Maryland
)
, demonym = Prince Georgian
, ZIP codes = 20607–20774
, area codes = 240, 301
, founded date = April 23
, founded year = 1696
, named for = Prince George of Denmark
, leader_title = Executive
, leader_name = Angela D. Alsobrooks ( ...
to I-495 was canceled. Motorists never fully adjusted to the two halves of the Beltway having different numbers. According to Ron Shaffer of ''The Washington Post'',
In 1989, the I-495 designation was restored to the eastern portion, making it a dual I-95/I-495.
Traveling clockwise, the Beltway is designated as the " Inner Loop"; traveling counter-clockwise, it is designated as the " Outer Loop". This parlance too has led to its own confusion, with unfamiliar motorists imagining two separate, distinct highway alignments, one some distance inside the other. At entrance ramps to the Beltway and on the on-highway signage, "Inner Loop" and "Outer Loop" shields are posted in conjunction with the route marker shields, although the terms are not emphasized in signage.
The Beltway was originally envisioned as primarily a bypass for long-distance eastern seaboard traffic to avoid driving directly through Washington. However, the explosive growth both of housing and business in the Washington suburbs following the Beltway's completion quickly made the Beltway the area's "main street" for local traffic as well. Numerous large shopping malls, community colleges, sports and concert stadiums, and corporate employment centers were purposely built adjacent to the Beltway, and these added greatly to the traffic, as has the passenger growth of regional airports accessed by the Beltway. The formerly more affordable price of housing in Southern Maryland versus Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...
, also led tens of thousands of commuters to live in Southern Maryland and commute on the Beltway to Virginia. The newer Fairfax County Parkway in the 1990s helped ease some traffic on the Virginia beltway; however, various proposals to build another complete outer beltway in the outer suburbs has not gotten off the ground, because local governments in Maryland object to building additional Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Datas ...
crossings as well as destroying protected "open space" and creating sprawl.
College Park Interchange
The College Park Interchange is the informal name for the northern interchange between I-95 and I-495 in College Park. The interchange was partially opened, along with the connecting segment of I-95, in 1971, completing I-95 between the Baltimore Beltway and the Capital Beltway. As originally planned, it was designed with the idea that mainline I-95 through traffic would continue straight through the interchange and south into Washington D.C. as the Northeast Freeway, joining the North Central Freeway
The North Central Freeway was a planned freeway in the District of Columbia that would have run from the Inner Loop in D.C. to the Capital Beltway (I-495) at Silver Spring.
The entire route was canceled in 1977 amid vitriolic protest from Washi ...
within D.C. and running south towards the central business district. When the D.C. government canceled its segment of I-95 in 1977, I-95 was rerouted onto the eastern half of the Capital Beltway, which lost its designation as I-495 (this was restored in 1989, forming a concurrency
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
of I-95 and I-495 on the eastern half). As a result of this rerouting, the interchange was placed under considerable pressure to cater for a traffic flow that it was not designed to handle.
Originally, travelers from southbound I-95 to the Inner Loop had to traverse the one-lane cloverleaf ramp in the southwest quadrant of the interchange; after exiting the ramp, traffic then had to weave through Inner Loop traffic headed for US 1. This unsafe condition was rectified by November 1986, when the flyover from southbound I-95 to the Inner Loop was constructed for I-95 southbound through traffic; the existing one-lane cloverleaf ramp was retained for access to the new C-D lane on the Inner Loop within the US 1 interchange, to segregate through traffic from southbound I-95 and local traffic for US 1. The stump end of the interchange was also modified into its present configuration, and the Park and Ride
A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system ...
was built.
Traffic congestion
Despite numerous widening projects during its history, heavy traffic on the Beltway is a continuing problem. The Woodrow Wilson Bridge—where eight lanes were squeezed into six—was particularly onerous, with miles-long backups daily during commuter rush hours and on heavily traveled weekends. Relief for this bottleneck came on May 30, 2008, when the 12-lane replacement bridge opened to traffic in both directions (the six-lane span carrying Outer Loop traffic had opened in June 2006). Two of the lanes on the Wilson are being held in reserve for future use as bus rapid transit or rail transit.
Two intersections on the Capital Beltway are ranked in the top 20 on a study of the "worst bottlenecks in the nation." They are the I-495 at I-270 interchange in Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is the most populous county in the state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 1,062,061, increasing by 9.3% from 2010. The county seat and largest municipality is Rockville, although the census-design ...
, ranked third overall, which receives 760,425 cars daily, and the College Park Interchange in Prince George's County, Maryland
)
, demonym = Prince Georgian
, ZIP codes = 20607–20774
, area codes = 240, 301
, founded date = April 23
, founded year = 1696
, named for = Prince George of Denmark
, leader_title = Executive
, leader_name = Angela D. Alsobrooks ( ...
, ranked 11th, with 340,125 cars. The Springfield Interchange
The Springfield Interchange, also known as the Mixing Bowl, is the interchange of Interstate 95, Interstate 395, and Interstate 495 in Springfield, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C. The interchange is located at exit 57 on the Capital Bel ...
, where I-395, I-95, and I-495 meet, was previously ranked fifth worst in the nation, but recent improvements have taken it off the top 20. Local commuters refer to the Springfield Interchange as "The Mixing Bowl," although this designation is reserved by highway officials for the even more complicated interchange complex adjacent to The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metonym ...
on the original Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
The Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway, often shortened to Shirley Highway, consists of a portion of Interstates 95 and 395 in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. Shirley Highway was the first limited-access freeway in Virginia. Begun in 1941, th ...
(currently better-known as Interstate 395) at State Route 27 in Arlington.
In April 2005, the Virginia Department of Transportation signed an agreement with two private companies to build high-occupancy toll lanes on the stretch of the Beltway between Springfield and Georgetown Pike. Construction began in 2008. Maryland officials are considering such lanes on their segment of the Beltway, as well as other major commuter highways in the state. Locals who disapprove of these projects have nicknamed them "Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota. The Lexus brand is marketed in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. It has ranked among the 10 largest Japanese ...
Lanes" because of the potential high price for using the lanes in exchange for bypassing congestion. These new lanes are one stage of a controversial project to widen the beltway, with the second stage involving widening the beltway to 12 lanes; opponents have called for various alternatives to this project (as well as the controversial Intercounty Connector
Maryland Route 200 (MD 200), also known as the Intercounty Connector or ICC, is an , six-lane toll road in the U.S. state of Maryland. A controlled-access highway, it connects Gaithersburg in Montgomery County and Laurel in Prince George's Cou ...
project) which would divert many vehicles off the northern beltway. The Maryland Transit Administration
The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. The MTA operates a comprehensive transit system throughout the Baltimore-Washingto ...
's Purple Line light rail transit line, under construction as of 2022, is just one example.
The Beltway has been improved since it opened. The American Legion Bridge was expanded by two lanes. HOV lanes were added between River Road and the I-270 Spur in Montgomery County, Maryland. The interchange between I-95 and the Beltway in Prince George's County, Maryland was originally designed to be a cloverleaf to allow I-95 to extend southward toward the District of Columbia. After I-95 was realigned onto the Beltway, a flyover ramp was built to allow I-95 through traffic to have two high-speed lanes. The interchange between U.S. Route 50 and I-95/I-495 in Prince George's County, Maryland was upgraded from a simple cloverleaf to a hybrid turbine interchange. In the Beltway's original configuration, I-295 and Indian Head Highway had separate interchanges. As a result, north-south traffic between I-295 and Indian Head Highway was forced to merge onto a congested section of the Beltway for approximately one mile. As a congestion relief measure, I-295 was extended over the Beltway and continued parallel to it so that the two highways were directly connected independent of the beltway. However, these interchanges were redesigned and rebuilt to accommodate the expansion of the Wilson Bridge and the construction of dedicated ramps to National Harbor.
In January 2018, Maryland State Democratic Sen. Joanne Benson of Prince George's County proposed legislation (Senate Bill 55) to increase the speed limit of the Maryland section of the Beltway from 55 to 70 mph, in a bid to reduce traffic congestion on the Beltway.
Bridge and interchange improvements
The Springfield Interchange
The Springfield Interchange, also known as the Mixing Bowl, is the interchange of Interstate 95, Interstate 395, and Interstate 495 in Springfield, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C. The interchange is located at exit 57 on the Capital Bel ...
in Virginia completed reconstruction in 2007. The eight-year, nearly $676 million project worked to eliminate weaving among local and long-distance traffic between I-95, I-395, the Beltway, and State Route 644.
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge underwent reconstruction in a major project that began in 1999; it now provides express and local lanes for both the Inner and Outer Loops. The new Wilson Bridge is higher and wider than the original 1961 span, which was demolished in 2006. The Outer Loop span opened in June 2006, and the Inner Loop span opened in May 2008.
Also, in association with the Wilson Bridge project, the Telegraph Road and U.S. 1
U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, ...
interchanges (exits 176 and 177) in Alexandria, Virginia were rebuilt. The I-295 and MD 210 interchanges (exits 2 and 3) in Maryland were rebuilt as well. These improvement lasted through 2013.
The Branch Avenue (Maryland Route 5
Maryland Route 5 (MD 5) is a long state highway that runs north–south in the U.S. state of Maryland. The highway runs from Point Lookout in St. Mary's County north to the Washington, D.C. border in Suitland, Prince George's County. M ...
) Interchange was also improved.
Virginia HOT lanes
The Virginia Department of Transportation authorized a public-private partnership to construct high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes in Northern Virginia. The project added two lanes to I-495 in each direction from just west of the Springfield Interchange to just north of the Dulles Toll Road
State Route 267 (SR 267) is a primary state highway in the US state of Virginia. It consists of two end-to-end toll roads – the Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Greenway – as well as the non-tolled Dulles Access Road, which lies in th ...
, and included the replacement of more than 50 bridges, overpasses, and major interchanges.
Drivers of vehicles with fewer than three occupants are required to pay a toll to use the lanes. Tolls change dynamically, with higher tolls charged during periods of heaviest congestion. Drivers using the HOT Lanes are required to carry an E-ZPass transponder to allow electronic toll collection, eliminating the need for toll booths. Tolls are waived for buses, carpools of at least three people, motorcycles, and emergency vehicles with an E-ZPass Flex transponder set to the "HOV ON" configuration. If more than a specified number of carpools or buses use the lanes, Virginia must pay the tolls for the excess vehicles.
At the north and south terminal of the HOT lanes, motorists are able to transition directly between the HOT lanes and the I-495 general purpose lanes. However, elsewhere along the corridor, access to and from the HOT lanes is only permitted from cross roads. Some cross roads provide access to both HOT lanes and general purpose lanes; others have access only to one system or the other. Many HOT lane access points serve traffic in only one direction of I-495, which is intended to complement typical commuting patterns. HOT lane interchanges are as follows:
The original scope of the HOT project is covered by a fixed-price $1.3 billion contract between concessionaire Capital Beltway Express LLC and contractor Fluor-Lane LLC. The partnership has proposed extending the scope of the project to north to the Potomac River.
In 2004, Transurban (USA) Development Inc. joined the Fluor team to serve as concessionaire and long-term operator of the HOT lanes. After a competitive procurement, the team was selected to deliver and operate the new HOT lanes. After a series of public meetings and environmental studies, the project was approved and funded in 2007. Construction began in the summer of 2008. The Express Lanes were opened for public access on November 17, 2012.
Maryland express toll lane proposal
In September 2017, Governor Larry Hogan announced a plan to widen the portion of I-495 in Maryland by four lanes, adding express toll lanes to the median, as part of an $11+ billion proposal to widen roads in Maryland. The project would be a public-private partnership with private companies responsible for constructing, operating, and maintaining the lanes. On June 5, 2019, the Maryland Board of Public Works voted 2–1 in favor of the proposal to construct express toll lanes along I-495, with Governor Hogan and State Comptroller Peter Franchot voting for it and State Treasurer Nancy Kopp voting against it. The widening and addition of express toll lanes along I-495 would be split into two phases, with the first phase expanding the road in Montgomery County and the second phase expanding the road in Prince George's County. On June 12, 2019, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCCPC) sent a letter of non-concurrence to the Maryland State Highway Administration
The Maryland State Highway Administration (abbreviated MDOT SHA or simply SHA) is the state transportation business unit responsible for maintaining Maryland's numbered highways outside Baltimore City. Formed originally under authority of the ...
(MDSHA), triggering a mediation process with the state. M-NCPPC has jurisdiction over parkland that MDSHA would need for its proposal.
In August 2022 the FHWA approved the proposed project. In October 2022 environmental and historic preservation groups filed suit against the state, citing deficiencies in the environmental review process and the projected impacts on Plummers Island
Plummers Island is a 12-acre Potomac River island in Montgomery County, Maryland, about nine miles upriver from Washington, D.C. ThWashington Biologists' Field Clubhas called the island "the most thoroughly studied island in North America".. The i ...
. In November 2022 the Maryland Department of Transportation announced that it would not award a contract for construction of the proposed toll lane project until after Governor Hogan has left office in January 2023. Decisions on the project will be made by the administration of newly-elected Governor Wes Moore
Westley Watende Omari Moore (born October 15, 1978) is an American politician, investment banker, author, and television producer. He is the governor-elect of Maryland, after defeating Republican Dan Cox in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial elec ...
and the Board of Public Works.
Exit numbering
Exit numbers on the Beltway have gone through several iterations. Originally, all exits on the Beltway were numbered sequentially in a clockwise direction, starting with exit 1 for US 1 in Alexandria, and the last exit number being 38 for I-295 in Prince George's County. After the eastern half of the Beltway was renumbered in 1977 as Interstate 95, exits on the Maryland portion were renumbered to the current format, counterclockwise with exit numbers assigned to mileposts. This caused problems because there were some exits that had the same number in Maryland and Virginia. Around 2000, this problem was solved by renumbering all of the Virginia exits. The exit numbers between the American Legion Memorial Bridge and the Springfield Interchange
The Springfield Interchange, also known as the Mixing Bowl, is the interchange of Interstate 95, Interstate 395, and Interstate 495 in Springfield, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C. The interchange is located at exit 57 on the Capital Bel ...
—Interstate 495's intersection with Interstate 395 and I-95 in Virginia—became a continuation of the Maryland exit numbers from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to the American Legion Memorial Bridge. The exit numbers between the Springfield Interchange
The Springfield Interchange, also known as the Mixing Bowl, is the interchange of Interstate 95, Interstate 395, and Interstate 495 in Springfield, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C. The interchange is located at exit 57 on the Capital Bel ...
and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge became a continuation of the exit numbers of I-95 in Virginia; such exit numbers are much higher than those on the rest of the Beltway, but continue to increase in the counterclockwise direction. The counterclockwise numbering on the Capital Beltway is a rarity, as most similar loop highways, like the Baltimore Beltway, have their exit numbers/mileage set in a clockwise arrangement.
Exit list
Mainline
Prior to 2000, the Commonwealth of Virginia reset exit numbers at state lines, and numbered them from the counterclockwise end to the clockwise end.
Express lanes
The entire route is in Fairfax County, Virginia.
See also
* Inner Loop, a partly built downtown loop
* Washington Outer Beltway, a planned loop outside the Beltway
** Maryland Route 200 (the Intercounty Connector), which began construction in 2007, uses portions of what was once planned to be the Outer Beltway in Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland
** Fairfax County Parkway and Prince William Parkway, portions of which are built on rights-of-way acquired for the Outer Beltway in Virginia
Notes
References
External links
I-495 @ MDRoads.com
by Roads to the Future
Steve Anderson's DCroads.net: Capital Beltway (I-495 and I-95)
Washington's Circumferential Highway: Fighting Over the Capital Beltway
- Ghosts of DC
{{Authority control
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