An overview of the Phase I plans for the new 11th Street Bridges, showing how the three new spans and approaches were designed, inside the footprint of the two existing spans. The southern/down-river span will be a "local street that happens to cross a river," connecting Near Southeast directly with Anacostia. The two northern spans will be all freeway traffic, and include new ramps to and from I-295 to allow for access to northbound 295 and from southbound 295 that hasn't existed before. The $300 million project was mostly completed by fall 2013.
See also this Jan. 2012 YouTube Video explaining the phases of construction. (12/09)
The second phase of the project
received the green light in spring 2012, bringing a series of additional movements to the 11th Street area, as well as new "
Southeast Boulevard," replacing the sunken freeway to and from Barney Circle with a road that will be accessed from 11th Street. (6/12)
The new 11th Street Bridges, with the I-695/freeway bridge at far left and the Officer Kevin Welch 11th Street Local Bridge at right. The freeway bridge opened in late 2011/early 2012, and the local bridge was completed in Sept. 2013. (10/20/13)
The view from the new 11th Street Local bridge to its northern end at O Street SE, with two-way traffic along 11th now flowing. (10/20/13)
Using a "slider" to help grasp how much the intersection at 11th and O streets has changed. The "before" photo (left), from 2011, shows the embankment of the old outbound 11th Street Bridge dominating and the old inbound bridge visible at far left. The "after" photo (right), from Oct. 2013, displays the vastly different vista, with the new freeway bridge at left and the local bridge at center, and the cleaned up Anacostia Riverwalk Trail approach at far right.
Arriving at the Anacostia River, at a new concrete landing just completed. (This spot
used to look a bit different.) Jutting out from the new 11th Street Local Bridge onto the piers from the old bridge are two pedestrian overlooks. It's possible the 11th Street Bridge Park could be built on top of these piers. (5/26/13)
Panoramas showing the new vista at 11th and L to the southeast, in 2009 and 2014.
... And at 11th and M, in 2008 and 2014.
Two annotated photos of the view at 11th and M, looking east, to try to illustrate the considerable changes along 11th Street during this project.
See the full progression.
Standing on 11th Street SE, under the two new flyovers built to move traffic between the bridges and the Southeast Freeway. At far left is the one flyover remaining from the old configuration, bringing traffic inbound from the freeway bridge to 8th Street, SE. But its days are numbered. (10/20/13)
Another view at 11th Street, showing construction continuing on the new flyover that will take traffic from the Southeast Freeway to the I-695 freeway bridge. At left is where a new ramp from the freeway will deposit drivers at a signalized intersection at 11th Street, as part of the new
Southeast Boulevard.
Late in 2012, a new ramp opened from 11th Street SE to the westbound freeway, just north of the new flyover. The signage doesn't necessarily leap out at drivers, but those in the know from the 11th Street area and points east now can get on the freeway here rather than traveling down I Street for 8 blocks to the 3rd Street ramp. (1/6/13)
Looking south from O Street, just east of the outbound 11th Street Bridge, in November 2005. This was one of the two brick storage buildings that stood by the river until construction began on the new bridges. (11/14/05)
The same location (honest!), with the new 11th Street Local bridge completed. (10/20/13)
Standing under the old outbound bridge, at the entrance to the Navy Yard Riverwalk, in November 2005. (11/13/05)
May 26, 2013 - The same location, looking slightly different with the plaza area at the waterfront now completed. (See more
before-and-afters from 11th and O to see the progress on the demolition of the old bridge and its on-ramp.)
Turning to look to the north, along the path of the Anacostia Riverwalk just east of the Navy Yard, in November 2005. (2/26/12)
May 26, 2013 - The same location, looking slightly different, and showing that approach to the riverwalk will be a bit less Escape-From-New-York-ish.
Looking north on 11th from N in 2011. The street at the time was one way, with the embankment at right leftover from the old ramp from RFK to the outbound bridge, and the traffic in the left lane preparing to enter the ramp to the old outbound bridge. (4/30/11)
March 9, 2014 - The same location, with the embankment for the old RFK ramp demolished and the new ramp open up from M Street to the outbound freeway bridge. You can also see how the street is wider. (See more
before-and-afters from 11th and N to see the progress on the embankment demolition and new ramp.)
The southwest corner of 12th and M, where traffic exiting the old bridges arrived at M Street. (08/08)
August 29, 2015 - The same location, with the new exit ramp from the inbound freeway bridge open, on the right side of the photo.
Standing on the almost-completed ramp that will eventually carry inbound I-695 traffic to the westbound SE/SW Freeway, but will be used temporarily starting in 2013 to handle outbound freeway traffic, while the old two-lane flyover at right is demolished and a new three-lane flyover is built in the gap seen here. More September 2012 images are
in this gallery. (9/14/12)
Getting a little closer to the 11th and L flyover reveals this gem, from a decidedly different era. (1/25/09)
This staircase used to lead to the old inbound ramp to 12th Street, but now.... (1/27/13)
The two spans of the old 11th Street Bridges, as seen from Anacostia Park, looking west toward Near Southeast, about a year before construction began on the new bridges. The buildings in the center were home to the Anacostia Community Boathouse Association (see more about
this area before the new bridges were built). (12/08)
A wider and higher view also looking west, in October 2011. On the left is the new 11th Street Local bridge, which moves two-way traffic between old town Anacostia and 11th Street SE next to the Navy Yard. To the right are the two new freeway bridges, inbound and outbound, which will connect the Southeast Freeway to DC 295, which opened in late 2011 and early 2012. In the middle is the new ramp that will take traffic from the outbound bridge toward northbound DC 295, a connection that doesn't exist with the current bridge configuration. It opened in Dec. 2012. See also
this panoramic image of the workzone, and the western shore of the Anacostia. More October 2011 images are
in this gallery. (10/7/11)
The western side of the bridges footprint, at the old Anacostia Boathouse docks. (
See more photos of how the boathouse area between the bridges looked before construction started.) (8/23/08)
The same location (see the wooden pier?), under construction. More September 2012 images are
in this gallery. (9/14/12)
And the same view from the top side. The two 11th Street Bridge freeway spans opened in December 2011 and January 2012, with ramps connecting to and from DC-295 also opening in 2012. This is a not-very-exciting photo from my first trip across the outbound bridge, the day after it opened. (You can also see this
short montage of photos I took while crossing.) More January 2012 images are
in this gallery. (1/8/12)
My final photo of the old outbound bridge, as seen from the Navy Yard Riverwalk, as its girders were being removed. (9/14/12)
And a last top-side view of the old outbound bridge. (9/14/12)