The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will renumber two interstate highways.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved DDOT’s request to replace I-695 (Southeast Freeway and 11th Street Bridge) with an extended I-395 and create I-195.
NEW ROUTE NUMBER
OLD ROUTE NUMBER
The full details, along with other AASHTO approvals can be viewed in this PDF (starting on page 59).
The news was reported by Robert H. Malme in the Facebook Group Northeast Roads (private).
Why renumber?
In short, most traffic continues from the SW Freeway to the SE Freeway and two numbers adds confusion. From the report:
Origin-destination studies have determined that approximately two-thirds of eastbound I-395 motorists travel through the I-395/I-695 interchange continuing onto I-695, which supports the continuation of I-395 along the existing mainline of I-695. This, in addition to the redesignation of I-395 along the 3rd St tunnel section to I-195 (considered under a different application), will allow DDOT to present more typical guidance through the I-395/I-695 interchange and mitigate a portion of the current confusion-related crashes.
I-695 to be decommissioned
I-695 was on maps for over 4 decades before it was actually posted on signs in 2011. Additionally, the 295 corridor (that’s another long story) encounters another I-695 near Baltimore, about 35 miles north.
There were more extensive plans for I-695 — it was originally conceived as beginning at I-66 near the Kennedy Center and tunneling under The Mall near Lincoln Memorial. In 2018, an “original” I-695 sign was revealed after a replacement project on I-66 westbound.
Cancel culture: The fourth I-695 to go away
According to kurumi.com, three other I-695s have been cancelled in Philadelphia, Central New Jersey and Boston, respectively. Only the Baltimore area and the Bronx will have surviving I-695s.
I-195 finally arrives in D.C.
The portion of I-395 north of the Southwest/Southeast Freeway interchange, also known as the Center Leg Freeway, will become I-195.
Renaming the Center Leg I-195 may have been proposed previously — I saw at least two map companies show that designation in the past.
Lucky #7 for I-195
Both Virginia (Richmond) and Maryland (BWI Airport) have their own I-195s. All told, there will be seven distinct I-195 spurs (Florida, Virginia, DC, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island/Massachusetts and Maine).
I-195 will be tie I-295 as the most ubiquitous three digit interstate. At least until North Carolina’s I-295 is official.
MORE FROM KURUMI.COM: I-195
Will I-395 change cardinal directions?
The current I-395 is posted as a north/south route, just as it is in Norhtern Virginia. Now that the road is predominately east-west in the District, it would be reasonable to mark it as such.
A brief look at D.C. interstate history
I-195 will the Center Leg Freeway’s third designation. It was I-95 until 1977, when it was renumbered to I-395. Freeway revolts, inspired in part by the SW Freeway displacement of thousands of residents, led to the cancellation of I-95 north of New York Ave. I-95 was rerouted to the south/east portions of the Capital Beltway.
I-66, I-266 (never built), I-70S (now I-270), I-295 and I-95 were planned in the District. Only portions of these roads were completed and posted.
Cancelled freeway funds were traded in for Metro construction.
HISTORIC PHOTOS: Southeast/Southwest Freeway – DDOT Historic Collections