The Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge will open at midnight tonight to allow a vessel to pass through, causing traffic stoppages of 15 to 20 minutes, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.
The agency’s Northern Virginia district shared the traffic alert on social media Wednesday morning, advising drivers to expect delays on the span that carries Interstate 95 and the Interstate 495 Capital Beltway between Alexandria and Oxon Hill, Md.
The Wilson Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Potomac River, connecting Virginia and Prince George’s County, Md. While the current span requires fewer openings than its predecessor, vessel passages still periodically disrupt traffic flow on one of the region’s busiest corridors.
The original Wilson Bridge opened approximately 260 times annually, frequently snarling traffic on a route that carried about 250,000 vehicles daily. The newer, higher span was designed to reduce the frequency of such openings.
Motorists traveling on I-95 or the Capital Beltway should plan for potential delays around midnight and consider alternate routes if possible.
