I-395 (Shirley Highway) is an auxiliary highway within the Capital Beltway. Originally part of I-95, the I-395 designation was given to this stretch of road after I-95 was moved to the Beltway. It now serves as a primary connection from the Virginia suburbs into Washington DC.

Northbound

Photographed from MD 2 to MD 3 Business in Glen Burnie.

Exit 8C leads to US 1 South via Hayes Street and 15th Street in Crystal City. In theory, this exit also takes you to VA 110 and Arlington Cemetery if you turn left onto US 1 North instead. I feel like that's something that should be added on the BGS here, but there's already a lot of confusion on this stretch of interstate so I understand the omission.

Approaching the G.W. Parkway, I-395 throws some chaos at us with both a left and right exit. There's a LOT of lane switching that goes on here, making me wonder if there wasn't a better way to build this interchange.

A little "I lived through history" aside: after the assault on both the Capitol building and American democracy, tensions were high in the D.C. area after January 6, 2021. Nearly all electronic messaging signs going into the District said "AVOID TRAVEL TO DC JAN 20", referring to the inauguration of Joe Biden. Many people were worried about both rioting and COVID-19 spread risk during the inauguration, thus officials basically .

Another "fun" post-January 6 but pre-January 20 sign.

Exit 10C - the left exit - will take you to the northbound G.W. Parkway and Columbia Island. Ahead, nearly as soon as we start crossing over the waters of the Potomac, we enter Washington D.C. proper. Part of the 14th Street bridge complex, the northbound I-395/US 1 bridge seen here is officially named the Arland D. Williams Memorial Bridge. Williams was a survivor of the Air Florida Flight 90 disaster, where an airplane stalled after takeoff from nearby DC National Airport and crashed into this very bridge. Despite surviving the initial crash, Williams helped save the five other crash survivors before the plane shifted, causing him to drown.

Taken September 17, 2022

END

  South← → North  

Southbound

Currently not available.

Return to Other Pages:

Maryland | Home