495 traffic

[Anonymous]

The bigger issue is there's effectively just that one bridge between MD and VA in that area. The next option to cross the Potomac is way up the river at Point of Rocks, on a one-lane each way bridge (highway 15).

There could be a second river crossing about half-way up. Both sides have built part of their side to interstate standards. It's I-370 on the MD side, and VA-28 on the VA side. If you draw a straight lline across between them, you'll see how a crossing would work.

However, such a crossing would touch on a tiny corner of the Agricultural Reserve, so all MoCo politicians oppose it. No way it's getting built in our lifetimes.

To give you an idea of how anti-development MoCo is, the Council recently voted to abandon the right-of-way held for 60 years for a future M-83 Rockville freeway:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/07/29/council-votes-abandon-m83/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please explain to me what they are doing to 495 near Mclean? Are they widening just right there? This has been going on for at least 3 years. How do people who need to cross the state line deal with it on a daily basis? I am in MD and don't go into VA often but when i do, i try to go during the middle of the day to avoid traffic and my goodness traffic is horrendous even at 11am-1pm. [b]Do people just try not to cross states these days? Or is there some secret time to do it that I am not aware? I have friends across the river that I would like to see and it is pretty much impossible to do it without losing hours of our day.

The worst time is actually in the middle of the day since that’s when they have the work zones up, and are taking away lanes. Right after evening rush is pretty smooth, since all of the lanes are open. But it sounds like the project is almost done and they should be opening up the new lanes pretty soon, maybe even before thanksgiving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:American Legion Bridge delay is all on Virginia. VA claims since techincally Marylands owns the Potomac river that Maryland should pay whole cost of bridge.

However, VA uses the bridge 50 percent. In NYC they have something called Port Authority that manages all the bridges from NYC to NJ and repairs rebuilding split 50/50 as obvious to all regardless of who owns water and up to what point the bridge or tunnel to and from NYC to NJ is used 50/50.

VA also suggested Maryland just hire private company and slap tolls on Bridge and widening on Maryland side. However, Wes Moore and Larry Hogan know a lot of nurses, cops, fireman, blue collar workers, trades people, clerical people and people who work at Mall and Retail cross bridge every day. They cant afford that and Maryland has high income taxes and gas taxes already so putting a toll on a road we already pay for out of taxes is crazy. I take the bridge 4-6 times a week to work and it is always just as crowded in both directions. Thinking one state should pay for it 100 percent when both states equally use it is crazy.

A majority of the bridge use comes from Maryland drivers. It's outer loop traffic in the morning, and inner loop in the evening.

VA has car taxes; Maryland does not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:American Legion Bridge delay is all on Virginia. VA claims since techincally Marylands owns the Potomac river that Maryland should pay whole cost of bridge.

However, VA uses the bridge 50 percent. In NYC they have something called Port Authority that manages all the bridges from NYC to NJ and repairs rebuilding split 50/50 as obvious to all regardless of who owns water and up to what point the bridge or tunnel to and from NYC to NJ is used 50/50.

VA also suggested Maryland just hire private company and slap tolls on Bridge and widening on Maryland side. However, Wes Moore and Larry Hogan know a lot of nurses, cops, fireman, blue collar workers, trades people, clerical people and people who work at Mall and Retail cross bridge every day. They cant afford that and Maryland has high income taxes and gas taxes already so putting a toll on a road we already pay for out of taxes is crazy. I take the bridge 4-6 times a week to work and it is always just as crowded in both directions. Thinking one state should pay for it 100 percent when both states equally use it is crazy.

A majority of the bridge use comes from Maryland drivers. It's outer loop traffic in the morning, and inner loop in the evening.

VA has car taxes; Maryland does not.

The bridge is a mob scene both directions at 6 pm every week night. Lately more headed towards VA

[Anonymous]

I live in Maryland and wish "my" state would add some capacity to the beltway but don't expect to live that long.

Alternatively, we could build another Potomac crossing but that is politically impossible because rich people live near the Potomac on both sides.