The Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, which only just went through a major renovation three years ago, will soon close to traffic overnight and on the weekends in order to complete "serious structural repairs," according to WTOP. The first closure will begin at 8 p.m. tomorrow. Over the next two weeks, the closure will be in effect between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. on most days, though the bridge will be inaccessible the entire weekend of September 17th, 18th and 19th, as well as overnight on the 24th and 25th. The sidewalks of the bridge will remain open while the work is going on, though, if you feel okay about walking over a big bridge undergoing for "serious structural repairs." more ›

We warned you yesterday about emergency repairs the Maryland Transportation Authority announced for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, starting today. WTOP has a bit of an update on the situation for Labor Day travelers. MTA is assigning extra staff members to help with traffic over the long weekend, and will make sure there are enough EZ-Pass and cash toll booths open to accommodate the heavy traffic, though it's probably still a good idea to find alternate routes to your destination if you can. Asking why the damage to the bolts in the concrete parapet wasn't found earlier, MTA Secretary John Pocani said, "This is something that's not detectable through normal inspection procedures and it's something that has occurred slowly over time," but that the bridge as a whole is structurally sound. more ›