This weekend marks the end of the original Woodrow Wilson Bridge’s long life. The Inner Loop of the Capital Beltway (I-95/495) is transitioning onto the new span that the Outer Loop has been using since last month. Backups are expected, so just avoid that area completely if you can.

From tomorrow night to as late as Monday morning, southbound traffic on the Capital Beltway will merge into one lane while construction crews mill and pave connections from the Beltway to the new bridge. Rerouting the inner loop is the latter of two traffic shifts; the outer loop switch occurred last month. By as late as Monday morning, all six lanes will be open on the new bridge, enabling demolition of the old bridge to begin. When: From 8 p.m. tomorrow to as late as 5 a.m. Monday.

While this is an important benchmark in improving the Wilson Bridge complex the real improvement will come in 2008 or so when the second span is completed. The new span has not increased capacity on the Beltway yet. The Outer Loop’s move to the new span was not meet with much enthasiasm last month.

From The Post: One Big Honking Goodbye to Bridge | Graphic

Official site: wilsonbridge.com

Are you a little sorry to see the origingal bridge go? Check out Flickr user Driven’s Woodrow Wilson Bridge set.