Construction on the new Route 50 / Courthouse Road interchange is set to begin this month.
The project, which is expected to wrap up in 2013, will result in major improvements to what is now a rather confusing and even dangerous series of on and off-ramps. In the meantime, however, drivers will have to put up with some minor headaches as the project forces the closure of some busy routes and ramps, starting later this year.
Among the closures, according to VDOT:
- Westbound 50 ramp to N. Courthouse Road (Winter 2011 to Spring 2012)
- Fairfax Drive between N. Troy Street and N. Scott Street (Winter 2011 to Spring 2012)
- Ramp from southbound 10th Street to eastbound Rt. 50 (Spring 2012 to Winter 2012/Spring 2013)
- Ramp from eastbound Route 50 to Courthouse Road (Fall 2012 to Winter 2012/Spring 2013)
For each closure, there will be a signed detour. Some local residents have expressed concern that the detours would siphon highway traffic onto residential streets, but we’re told that transportation planners expect the impact on residential streets to be minimal.
See maps of each detour, after the jump.
View Route 50 Closure 1 in a larger map
Detour: 10th Street N. to N. Barton Street.
View Route 50 Closure 2 in a larger map
Detour: N. Scott Street to 13th Street N. to N. Troy Street.
View Route 50 Closure 3 in a larger map
Detour: Washington Blvd to N. Pershing Drive to Route 50, and N. Barton Street to N. Pershing Drive to Route 50.
View Route 50 Closure 4 in a larger map
Detour: Washington Blvd to Garfield Street to Clarendon Blvd.