The transformation is complete!

I almost couldn't believe my ears when I heard it on the news last night, but apparently there's no denying it: the construction at the Springfield Interchange is now complete!

Having lived in Alexandria from 2001 to 2006, I bore witness to much of the construction—largely because my daily commute took me through the Springfield Interchange, starting in the summer of 2002. And I can tell you quite definitively that, at the time, traffic on the Outer Loop approaching Springfield was usually pretty bad. Traffic would slow to a crawl right around the Braddock Road exit, and I would inch my way forward for the next mile to my left-hand exit onto 395 north (the traffic slowdown was actually caused by all the cars wanting to exit onto 95 south).

I don't think it was until sometime in 2003, when a new exit ramp for 95 south opened up, that traffic started to open up and flow more smoothly from Braddock Road down to Springfield; after that, I encountered very few backups, unless it was an accident or disabled vehicle. And even though it didn't affect my commute at all, the opening of the flyover ramp from the Inner Loop onto 95 south was a huge event! But what boggled my mind was the fact that, not too long after it opened, the flyover too began to back up with traffic! (Talk about opening the floodgates, huh?)

Sometimes, though, I would drive down to Potomac Mills in Woodbridge or to some of the stores near the Springfield Mall, which would require me to travel 95 southbound, and I won't lie—sometimes the drive through the construction zone could be a bit hairy . . . particularly when trying to meander around all those tractor-trailers that love to travel 95 (oh, and I'm referring to the highway, too!). But I was reasonably pleased with the new ramps that I saw, and I kept my fingers crossed that in the final analysis, traffic would flow through there with greater ease.

I know there have been a lot of complaints about the signage around the Interchange, and I won't deny that they can be a bit confusing—largely because they seem so illogical. Like if you want to exit from the Inner Loop to the Franconia Road exit—which is only accessible from 95 southbound—the exit ramp begins on 495, and requires you to stay on 495 for a time, utilizing the original exit ramp from the Inner Loop onto 95 south (rather than take the flyover) to take you to the newly-formed Exit 169 for Franconia Road. I guess the only thing I can suggest to those who find this new layout confusing is to trust in the signs, to take it on faith that you're being pointed in the right direction . . . however illogical it may seem.

On a funnier note, I don't know if it's still up, but the Springfield Interchange website at one time posted photos of "before and after" shots, and a friend once jokingly remarked, "Got any sauce for that spaghetti?"

But with this project now complete, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Springfield "Mixing Bowl" is now less burdensome to travel through. Now all we need is for the Route 1 interchange by the Wilson Bridge to be finalized, and we'll be in business!