The Frederick Douglass (South Capitol Street) Bridge will close to all traffic – vehicles, cycles, pedestrians – for the months of July and August. Renovations, to begin after July 4, will include lowering a 200-foot span of the bridge's northern approach and creating an at-grade intersection at South Capitol Street and Potomac Avenue.

The District Department of Transportation expects the bridge to be replaced in the next 10 years. In the meantime, lowering the roadway will provide better access to the waterfront and surrounding development, and this summer's renovation will extend the life of the existing bridge by 15 years.

This project is an example of what DDOT calls “short-term pain for long-term gain,” as an uninterrupted period of work allows for quicker and safer construction and reduces the impact for commuters and adjacent neighborhoods.

“We realize this will be an inconvenience for some people,” says DDOT's Erik Linden, “but the bridge is sorely in need of repair. And when the restoration is complete, the bridge will look beautiful for pedestrians and cyclists as well as for drivers.” July and August were chosen for the work, he says, because research shows that vehicular traffic is down by 15 percent – from an average daily traffic count of 77,000 to 65,000 – during those months.

Commuter Detours and Transit Alternatives
A signed detour will reroute northbound drivers to Interstate 295 and the 11th Street Bridge into DC. To facilitate this route, an additional lane has been paved on I-295 between the Suitland Parkway and the 11th Street Bridge. Southbound drivers will follow a signed detour to I-395 across the 11th Street Bridge to I-295 south into Maryland. Additional alternative routes include New York Avenue and Benning Road.

Several Metro buses will be rerouted for the duration. Express buses P17, P19 and W13 will terminate at the Southern Avenue Metrorail station. The A9 route will terminate at the Anacostia Metrorail station. For the summer, fares will be reduced from $3 to $1.25 for the P17, P19 and W13 buses and from $1.25 to 75 cents for the A9.

A “Bridge Bucks” program provides up to $50 per month toward bus, rail or vanpool fare for individuals whose regular daily commute takes them across the Douglass Bridge. Distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, the Bridge Bucks are available to 1,500 eligible drivers. As of June 21, 1,250 drivers had applied, and 881 had been approved; the remaining 369 applications were either in process or had been deemed ineligible. Ultimately, Linden says, DDOT expects 1,400-1,500 commuters “will take advantage of the program and ditch their cars in favor of alternate transportation.”

Bridge Bucks was used during the renovation of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to “get people out of their cars and into public transit,” and DDOT hopes drivers who don't use the program will also consider public transit. In fact, Linden explains, “Our hope is that we get some converts to rail, bus or carpooling. Sometimes people need incentives to change their habits.”

Surrounding Neighborhoods
With the 11th Street Bridge a signed detour, 11th Street SE is expected to see thousands of additional vehicles each day. Residents in the area already complain that drivers exiting I-295 travel that residential street too fast and are a menace to the neighborhood. For example, this topic arose at the June meeting of  Police Service Area 106, which encompasses the stretch of 11th Street just north of I-295. Some have suggested that projected congestion may slow traffic a bit. But Linden says DDOT will “take a hard look at this... monitoring the situation closely, especially during the first few days of the closure, working with MPD (Metropolitan Police Department) to be sure that speeds in residential neighborhoods are not increased.” A visual police presence or other traffic-calming measures will be instituted as necessary.

As for Capitol Hill drivers traversing or leaving the neighborhood, Linden says being aware and planning ahead is the “first step in alleviating potential problems.” He recommends area drivers consider the Sousa Bridge or Benning Road in addition to the signed detours. DDOT does not “foresee that there will be a major problem,” he says, but will be monitoring the situation and will institute adjustments – signal timing changes, for example – as appropriate.