(Washington, DC) – DC Water is performing construction activities as a part of the Anacostia River Tunnel Project.

Construction will consist of building six shafts along the tunnel to serve as access points for the tunnel and to assist in diverting Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) to the Anacostia River Tunnel.

Beginning Wednesday, September 14, 2016 through Monday, February 27, 2017, weather permitting; the I-295 Southbound entrance ramp at eastbound Suitland Parkway will be closed to all oncoming traffic between the hours of 7:00pm at night to 1:00pm the following day. It is advised that southbound South Capitol Street, SE to Overlook Avenue, SE be used as an alternative route for travel to I-295 southbound during the hours of closure.

Important Information:
All traffic lanes on the I-295 Southbound onramp at eastbound Suitland Parkway will be closed from 7:00pm at night to 1:00pm the following day. It is advised that southbound South Capitol Street, SE to Overlook Avenue, SE be used as an alternative route for travel to I-295 southbound.

The entrance ramp will be open only during rush hours daily from 1:00pm to 7:00 pm and closed at all other times.

Traffic will be diverted beginning September 14, 2016 and the ramp will remain closed through February 27, 2017, weather permitting.

Temporary traffic signs will be set up throughout the area to alert motorists of the upcoming closure.

Some traffic delays within the vicinity of the work zones are anticipated.

Noise levels will be closely monitored during construction.

Project Details:
DC Water is constructing the Anacostia River Tunnel, which consists of six shafts located along the tunnel to serve as access points for the tunnel and to assist in diverting Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) to the Anacostia River Tunnel. The project will also include diversion and order control structures at 5 locations along the tunnel alignment. This infrastructure improvement is a major component of the DC Clean Rivers Project that will reduce CSOs annually by 96 percent throughout the system and by 98 percent for the Anacostia River alone.

This portion of the project, which includes the I-295 Southbound entrance ramp at eastbound Suitland Parkway closure will allow for retrieval of the tunnel boring machine once it has completed mining the Anacostia River Tunnel and completion of the construction of the Poplar Point Junction Shaft.

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For more information on the DC Clean Rivers Project, visit dcwater.com/cleanrivers.