Public Meetings This week on 11th St. Bridges

Bridges over the Anacostia River, Photo: DC DDOT.

The D.C. Transportation Department will hold two public meetings this week to discuss possible changes to the 11th Street bridges, two one-way spans over the Anacostia River that connect the Southeast-Southwest and Anacostia freeways.

The agency is studying how to revamp the bridges and roadways to increase access to and from the Anacostia and Navy Yard neighborhoods. From the project website:

The 11th Street Bridges, in southeastern Washington, DC are two vital links across the Anacostia River. Together, the two one-way bridges connect the Anacostia Freeway and the Southeast Freeway, linking regional traffic through the eastern sections of the District to the Federal core. The bridges also connect local traffic to the Navy Yard; the Marine Corps Barracks; Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue; Anacostia Park; and the Historic Anacostia neighborhood.

This current connection is incomplete. Southbound motorists on the Anacostia Freeway cannot access the bridges; nor can motorists on the bridges go north onto the Freeway. The ramps to make these connections do not exist. This results in commuter traffic to and from the north driving through neighborhood streets to get to their destinations.

The Middle Anacostia River Crossing study identified the need to improve the connectivity across the Anacostia River, to provide direct access both north and south serving regional and local traffic. The 11th Street Bridges study is an outgrowth of that earlier work.

The first meeting is scheduled for 6:30 tonight at the Anacostia Professional Building, 2041 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. The second is set for 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at Tyler Elementary School, 1001 G St. SE.

For more information, call the Transportation Department at 202-671-4607.


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