i drive this route daily. when the lane shift is in effect in the afternoon as others have mentioned just stay against the wall and make your left turn from the right lane. into the far right lane on arizona avenue.

Yeah you kinda put your life in the hands of other folks who may not have a firm grasp on reading road signs.

DC used to stage police officers at the chain bridge intersection on holidays to help remind folks.

The worst is on Federal Holidays when the normal rules do not apply. I see head on collisions every Federal Holiday because people forget that the road is open both ways all day long.

You can’t turn from the right lane unless it is 245 to 715. At other times you have to change to left lane before making a left turn onto Arizona. You can switch lanes after you see a sign “use two lanes”

What’s risky? There’s a green light and arrow when turning left. Of course you can’t turn left from the right lane when there are cars in the middle lane.

Anonymous wrote:^ but reading your post again if this is not within the 245 to 715 window, You can drive in the middle lane on Canal.

Ugh, if I can drive in the middle lane outside the afternoon window, then I have to turn left from the middle lane, not the right lane, right? If time of day matters, and I might get there 700-730 PM, then it's again seeming too risky

^ but reading your post again if this is not within the 245 to 715 window, You can drive in the middle lane on Canal.

Yes. People never know what to do once it turns 245 and they anre almost accidents daily. I go this way to pick up my child from school. It is super dangerous as people stay in the middle lane and there is oncoming traffic both from straight ahead and on Arizona.

I want to drive Chain Bridge to Canal Rd to Arizona Ave in the afternoon. From what I can see on Street View, I should do the following, whether or not it's within the 2:45PM - 7:15PM M-F window:

Stay in right lane on Chain Bridge. At Canal Rd, turn right into the right lane. At Arizona Ave intersection, turn left from the right lane.

Is that correct? I've been avoiding this route, but there are times when it could save me 15 minutes or more compared to the Beltway.