395 - GSA Development of St. Elizabeths Campus

travelling westbound (in morning peak period) and eastbound (in afternoonpeak period). East of this intersection, Suitland Parkway abruptly transitionsfrom an urban-style arterial to a high-speed controlled access facility thatstretches into suburban Maryland and links with the major arterial MarylandRoute 4, which makes this intersection a “choke point” for traffic flow duringpeak periods.• Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue is generally congested for several reasons. Thissecondary arterial is the only continuous north-south local route that spans the entireStudy Area. The facility also connects Anacostia with the Southeast-Southwest Freeway(I-695) via the 11 th Street Bridges, and carries a disproportionate amount of cut-throughtraffic due to missing connections at the 11 th Street Bridges/Anacostia Freeway andelsewhere along I-295/DC 295. The five-legged intersection at Howard Road is acongestion focal point for many of the same reasons as the operations at SuitlandParkway/Firth Sterling intersection.• The interchange of Alabama Avenue at Suitland Parkway is frequently congested alongthe west half of the ramp terminal interfaces because of the frequency and close spacingof traffic signals along Alabama Avenue. The high incidence of pedestrian trafficrequires this area to be controlled by DDOT traffic control officers during peak periods,especially at the beginning and ending of the school day.• The interchange of Malcolm X Avenue at South Capitol Street is congested due to theconfiguration of the two closely-spaced intersections at the ramp terminals, which arenot optimally phased or channelized to accommodate existing traffic demand. Theconcentration of inbound and outbound trips at the main gated entrance to Bolling AirForce Base also contributes to congestion. The adjacent interchange of Malcolm XAvenue and I-295 operates as complementary access point for northbound I-295 trafficin combination with the South Capitol Street interchange. On I-295 northbound,weaving traffic between the two loop ramps exceeds the volume capacity of thisinterchange, resulting in queues along I-295 northbound and Malcolm X Avenueeastbound.• General north-south traffic along principal routes is impacted by downstreambottlenecks and congestion on both ends of the Study Area. The configuration of the 11 thStreet Bridges interchange and the Suitland Parkway / South Capitol Street interchangecontribute to system-wide queuing. Downstream congestion on other roadways alsocauses spillback that reflects back through the arterials within the network.2.2.3 DeficienciesAs referenced above, several locations within the Study Area have significant operationaldeficiencies that contribute to congested conditions. Other locations reflect substandardroadway or intersection designs that pose safety risks and/or adversely affect the accessibilityof local roadways. Transportation network design deficiencies in the Study Area include:• Missing ramp connections between local Anacostia roadways and the AnacostiaFreeway at the interchange with 11 th Street Bridges2-4