The Third Street Tunnel Project has entered a construction phase which will keep stretches of Massachusetts Avenue closed temporarily.
Motorists and commuters in the District near the Third Street Tunnel will have to deal with increased traffic congestion that has already been rough since construction began on the project.
Massachusetts Avenue borders the Third Street Tunnel on the north side, while E Street borders the south side. The tunnel runs between Third and Second streets. But now the $1.3 billion construction project has reached a phase where Massachusetts Avenue is shut down between Second and Fourth streets in Northwest, as well as Third and Fourth streets between G and H Streets.
[caption id="attachment_5203" align="aligncenter" width="725"]
courtesy of WTOP[/caption]
The Third Street Tunnel project has already made getting around in the two localized areas difficult and sluggish, and the latest closures mean that eastbound motorists on Massachusetts Avenue will be detoured onto Fourth Street while westbound traffic will be directed to Second Street, with both detours eventually leading out onto K Street. Motorists traveling westbound should also consider using the alternate route setup on New Jersey Avenue to K Street. The District’s Department of Transportation has not indicated how long the closures, detours, and alternate routes will be effective, however, for the time being commuters may want to consider alternate means of transportation during peak rush hour and otherwise.
The tunnel project seeks to ease I-395 traffic congestion via the construction of new entry and exit portals while also bettering safety and convenience for cyclists and pedestrians. The project also will see the construction of a deck over I-395 between Second and Third streets from E Street to Massachusetts Avenue ,which will reconnect D.C.’s streets at F and G streets. The entire project is expected to be completed by fall 2019.
