Alps' Roads Special - D.C. Road Meet

D.C. Road Meet, November 21, 2009


Thanks to a half day of work, I had an abbreviated ride down to DC the day before the meet. I started on I-287 to US 206, cutting off Princeton via CR 601 and exploring near Trenton via CR 546 to Denow Rd. before hopping on NJ 31 to I-95. In Pennsylvania, I took a little time to take PA 413 to PA 513 and back to I-95 via US 13 and PA 63. I picked up a ton of old Delaware Expwy. signs off Exits 25-27 in Philadelphia and then, pressed for time, high-tailed it down 95 to I-495, back to I-95, and my usual cut-off through Baltimore of US 40 to MD 295. This time, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway had more traffic than I could stomach, so I cut off (I believe at MD 32) to I-95 and enjoyed clear sailing to DC. I hopped back on the Parkway (now clear) to DC 295 and I-295, crossing the city on Capitol St. to I-395 (the best way to link the two freeways) and avoiding still more traffic by getting to George Washington Pkwy. in Virginia. I was going to take Maine Ave. to cut across town, but accidentally ended up in L'Enfant Promenade and was pleasantly surprised. The next error was not so fortuitous - my directions were missing an "Exit left" - and I skipped past my planned exploration of the Parkway stubs at the Washington Blvd. (becomes VA 27) interchange to end up all the way up at VA 123. Needless to say, I was upset at having so long between U-turn opportunities - and realizing I should at least have made use of Spout Run Parkway to do it - so I fought my way back down the Parkway to I-395 and took VA 27 from there straight into VA 237 and 10th St./Wilson Blvd. to park at Ballston Commons.
On Saturday, the meet started along US 1 in Huntington, crossed over the new interchange with I-95/495, and headed to the main attraction on VA 400. That was the Woodrow Wilson Bridge walk out over the Potomac River to the Maryland/DC line, including our meet photo:


From left to right, meet attendees encompassed Mike Kotler, Brian Reynolds, Brian Polidoro, chairman Adam Froehlig, Doug Kerr, Robert Malme, Pete Jenior, photographer Adam Prince, Oscar Voss, Brian Powell, newcomers Janet Fraser and Chris Del Checcolo, and Scott Kozel. The posse returned to their cars and to I-95/495 HOT lane construction through the Springfield Interchange to I-95 alone, though not before taking the next exit for a flyover view from Franconia Rd. WB. The next point of interest was the Fairfax County Pkwy. extension/completion west of 95 to Rolling Rd. Of course, we followed Rolling Rd. for a few good views of construction before heading back to I-495 via Franconia-Springfield Pkwy. to Backlick Rd. and up once more to Franconia Rd. The next stop was along Gallows Rd., reached via US 50, to Iliff Drive at the former Washington and Old Dominion Railroad. From the new trail we had excellent views of HOT (High Occupancy / Toll) lane construction on this part of the Beltway along with I-66 interchange reconstruction. From this point, the meet traced familiar territory, via I-66 (reached by Idylwood Rd. to VA 7) to US 29 into DC. After a quick sprint along the Whitehurst Freeway on US 29, the tour stopped along 23rd St. near the E Street Expressway for an opportunity to see the old button copy on I-66 and discuss the broken freeways of the city. The meet continued south to Independence Ave. and Maine Ave., onto I-395 to I-695 and off again on Virginia Ave., 8th St., in my car's case G St., and Pennsylvania Ave. to Barney Circle, the final stop and the stub end of what would have been I-295. We followed 295 back to I-95/495, to US 1 and the meet location to part ways (or have dinner and then part).
The next day, to return home, I retrieved my car in Virginia and came back out to VA 237, to US 50 and VA 27 around to the George Washington Memorial Pkwy. interchange. This time, I got it right, explored the former Parkway stub on Columbia Island, U-turned at the Pentagon, and came back up to drive the Arlington Memorial Bridge. I came back through DC by heading up to US 50 and retracing the meet so that I could get photos (my reaction times were quite slow by the previous afternoon). From Barney Circle, I continued on Pennsylvania Ave. to DC 295 and MD 295/Balto.-Wash. Pkwy.. I jogged over to I-83 in Baltimore via the eponymous Baltimore St. and traipsed around Maryland for a bit: MD 25 north to Padonia Rd., 83 north to Exit 18 to clinch MD 943, Sherwood Rd. up to MD 45 and turning right onto MD 145 to clinch both 145 and MD 165 in their entireties. This put me in Pennsylvania, where I crossed over on local roads to get to Flintville Rd. and back into Maryland for MD 623 and 161. I jogged east on MD 155 to MD 462, west on MD 132 to MD 22, then down MD 136 to MD 543. With time getting short, I had to cut back to Baltimore to start the return home, so I followed US 40 to MD 24 onto I-95, and got into downtown via Moravia Rd. to US 1. Next I got to York via former US 111 - MD 45 and Susquehanna Trail. Continuing on the Trail brought me to PA 295, PA 262, down a pair of small roads (Cly Rd. and Grandview Dr.) to PA 295 and back onto Susquehanna Trail. So that I wouldn't have to come back to this area just for a couple of roads, I took PA 262 west to PA 114, Ridge Rd. back to PA 392, crossed over 262 to Stillhouse Rd. and Railroad St. into Goldsboro. I U-turned at PA 295 to finish clinching PA 262 and continued on my way up old US 111 to PA 114 and onto I-83. The rest of my route was straightforward, if not direct: I-283, PA 283, Union St. to PA 441, northeast on PA 241, PA 72, US 422, US 202 into NJ and home on I-287.

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