New Bridge May Ease I-95 Congestion In D.C. Area

The Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Washington, D.C., beltway is a critical link on Interstate 95. Expansion to six lanes each way will increase capacity, alleviate congestion and also open a sizable stretch of the East Coast to more development, according to planners and economists. In addition, the federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission has called for shifting more businesses, government centers, and homes onto the I-95 corridor between Baltimore and Richmond. "The first span opens to the public June 9, but the real benefits will come in two years, after a second six-lane span is completed." The bridge will be completed on time and on budget. In addition, the process became a model for regional cooperation between the federal government, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia: "Specifically, they created a 13-member committee that included federal, state and local officials and was charged with resolving many of the disputes."