New Traffic Pattern Begins on Wilkens

Traffic will shift on Wilkens Avenue in the vicinity of the Beltway between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 14 while crews work on bridge over Wilkens, according to state highway officials.

Both the eastbound and westbound Wilkens Avenue lanes under the bridge will be shifted outward, away from the center piers supporting the bridge, so crews may work and park vehicles and equipment underneath, SHA officials said.

The reconstructed ramp leading from the inner loop to eastbound Wilkens Avenue is nearly completed. Paving of the ramp began Feb. 27 and was completed Mar. 3, according to state officials.

Next, crews will reconstruct the pavement on what used to be the shoulder of I-695 leading to the newly aligned exit ramp. Once that pavement is reconstructed, the ramp to eastbound Wilkens Avenue will be reopened.

During the next phase of ramp reconstruction, the ramp to westbound Wilkens and Kenwood avenues will close and all traffic exiting on Wilkens will take the eastbound ramp, state highway officials said.

Frances Ward, spokesperson for the agency, added that the base paving for the realigned ramp from Kenwood Avenue to northbound I-695 has been completed, and traffic should shift to the new ramp later this spring.