District of Columbia Highway(s)

      This site was neglected for a little over six years. It is the last of my "Beltway @ Yurasko.net" sites that I maintained in college, before I moved onto other things. However, I have decided to give it a little more attention again, prompted by a DCist post about the wayward US 29 in the District.

      DC 295
      Okay this is a little joke since there is just one DC highway, but, why not?

      295 SOUTHERN END I-295 at the 11 St. Bridge interchange
      NORTHERN END DC/Md State Line becomes MD 201/295, although MD 295 is not signed on that portion

      Numbered along the Annacostia Freeway/Kenilworth Ave. corridor. Continues where I-295 loses interstate designation, although the conditions are about equal; equally bad even.

      Imaginary Routes

      Certain highways in DC are given the numbers by some mapmakers, but to date none of them are real. After the "other routes" I have a list of possible extensions.

      4 Goshua has this along PA Ave in SE, but its not real.

      Steve Anderson writes:

      >From Robert Droz's posting in misc.transport.road:

      On a related note, I found another reference to DC 4&5. It is in "Color
      Guidebook to Washington" The cover is marked July 5, 1957. It is on
      Pennsylvania SE of the US Capitol. The centerfold map also shows US 211 with US 29 on M St.

      Here is a photo of DC 4:
      DC 4

       

      210 Goshua has also shown DC 210, along S. Capitol Street

      355 is shown on a number of maps as Wisconsin Ave in the District. Goshua and Commonwealth of VA come to mind. However, in real life there is no DC 355, atleast not yet.

      332 An Exxon/Travelvision/America Map has this marked on Central Ave at the easternmost point of the District

      500 Michigan Ave. on a Goshua Map 

      The other DC Highways

      US Routes

      US 1 Enters along the 14th Street Bridge then follows 14th Street to Constitution Ave. (US 50). From there it stays joined with US 50, including when the N-E heads up 6th Street and when S-W heads down 9th Street and L Street. After NY Ave, NY Ave, US 1 continues to Rhode Island Ave, via 6th St. Along Rhode Island Ave it heads into Maryland. 

      US 29 This has had a number of different alignments over the years. Currently, US 29 enters the District on Key Bridge. Then, it joins with the Whitehurst Freeway and after I-66 near Watergate, it meets with K Street. At 11th St, it turs north, briefy and then joins with Georgia Ave, all the way to Maryland.

      A post about US 29's journey was on DCist in early 2005.

      One previous alignment had US 29 joining with New Hampshire Ave at Washington Circle, then joining 16th Street to Alaska Ave, and then Georgia Ave. 

      US 50 Enters with I-66 via the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and follows Constitution Ave. Shares with US 1 (see US 1 for routing) and eventually reaches NY Ave, which it follows to the BW Parkway and Maryland.

      NY Ave east of I-395 to BW Parkway may get upgraded to an expressway, we shall see 

      US 211 Decommisioned. US 211 used to be paired with US 29 from Warrenton, VA into DC along M St. NW (see notes for DC 4) . At some time during the '70s, it was decommisioned east of Warrenton in VA. I recall seeing an Exxon (TravelVision) map that had US 211 with US 29 all the way to Rosslyn, just over the Key Br. from Georgetown, but not in DC. In short, US 211 was gradually decommisioned, starting with DC and then eventually, Arlington and Fairfax Counties in VA.

      US 240 Decommisioned. Was signed along Wisconsin Ave, then up I-270 in Maryland, pre interstate designation. Parts of it are MD 355, across the border. I am not sure of its exact routing. 
      Interstates

      To learn more about DC interstates, go to Kurumi's DC map

      I-66 Enters with US 50 via the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge, then heads N-S past the Kennedy Center, the E Street Expressway, and Watergate. Ends at the US 29 Whitehurst Freeway/K Street interchange. Was supposed to continue to I-95, but both plans were cancelled. One plan called for an underground tunnel under K Street. 

      I-95/495 Enters for about 100 feet on the Wilson Bridge. When it is replaced, it probably will not enter DC anymore.

      I-95 used to really enter DC. It was I-395. When the section north of NY Ave was cancelled, I-95 was routed along the Beltway, and it became I-395.

      There was an I-95 sign on I-395 in the District into the late 1980's, right around Potomac Park exit. Lots of "TO  I-95" signs are in the District. 

      I-195 Used on some maps in the 1980's for I-395 between NY Ave and the SE/SW Freeway. I don't know why this was used, and I don't think it ever really existed. 
      I-295 Another shortened interstate in DC. It starts at I-95/495 (although there are signs for I-295 NORTH from MD 210) in Maryland and heads into DC parrallel to South Capitol Street. Known as the Annacostia Freeway. Was to have continued over 11th Street Bridge and hit I-95 in NE. It didn't happen and now it ends at the bridge. DC 295 continues along the Annacostia Freeway/Kenilworth Ave corridor. Fanciful extension, all the way up Kennilworth into Maryland and up the BW Parkway to I-95 in Baltimore.

      This is also the only highway in DC to have exit numbers, although they are not shown on most maps.

      C.C. Slater's I-295 exit list

      I-395 Was I-95. Enters with US 1 via the 14th Street Bridge, then becomes the SW Freeway. It then heads north, under the Capitol grounds via Tunnel to NY Ave, where you are forced onto US 50 EAST. The SW Freeway becomes the SE Freeway and continues to the 11 St. Bridge and Pennsylvania Ave.

      According to posts on m.t.r, there may be a NY Ave expressway upgrade, which could be an extension of I-395. 

      I-695 Unsigned, it is the SE Expressway from I-395 to PA Ave. Marked as TO I-295. Would have been extended to Kennilworth Ave, but that plan was killed in Dec. 1996. Another plan had it starting at I-66 and going under the Lincoln Memorial as part of the SW Freeway Loop. I didn't happen, like most DC Freeways.

      Routes that could be

      If DC were to expend on its numbering system, these are routes I would like to see. However, given that the city is bankrupt or near that, I can't see this happening any time real soon, and its not a priority, so its okay.

      4 For PA Ave east of the Capitol, it would be an extension of MD 4.

      5 Branch Ave, from PA Ave (DC 4) into MD.

      97 Georgia Ave, Making 97 enter DC-MD-PA. Would have to change US 29 to 16th Street again or multiplexed.

      123 This is the best candidate from VA, just about the only one really. Would enter from Chain Br. and then follow Canal Road to M Street. Then it could be signed along PA Ave to K Street and end at US 29.

      185 Conneticut Ave, from MD to K St (US 29)

      190 River Rd, from MD to Conn. Ave. (DC 185)

      210 South Capitol Street, extension of MD 210.

      212 Riggs Rd then down North Capitol Street.

      214 East Capitol Street. Interesting that all of the Capitol Streets, would be similiar numbers.

      218 Suitland Rd from MD to DC 5

      332 Central Ave from MD, to East Capitol St.

      355 Wisconsin Ave, from MD to Mass. Ave or M Street.

      390 16th Street from MD to K Street just north of the White House.

      396 Mass. Ave, from MD to 9th Street (US 1 & 50)

      450 Instead of US 1 ALT for Bladensburg Rd. This of course would be coming from MD.

      500 Michigan Ave, from MD to North Capitol Street (DC 212)

      637 Naylor Rd, from MD to PA Ave (DC 4)

      704 63rd Street, would be very short, a continuation of MD 704

      Will any of this happen? Probably not.

      The DC 295 image is from James Lin's site

    The Beltway @Yurasko.net


     

    Previously updated December 24, 1998
    created Spetember 30, 1997