After two long months of being shut completely for a major overhaul, the Frederick Douglass Bridge, aka the South Capitol Street Bridge, finally reopened to commuters this morning. DDOT actually reopened the Anacostia River crossing one week ahead of schedule overnight. When was the last time you remember a major construction project being finished early?

Overall, it looks like the strategy to close the bridge completely, despite its inconveniences, was a good one. By having uninterrupted access to the bridge, crews were able to complete their work on time and the possibility of any safety issues with the crossing was eliminated. The bridge has been closed since July 6, which caused backups and delays on I-295 of up to 40 extra minutes for drivers.

WTOP notes that new features on the bridge include cast iron railings and vintage, teardrop lightpoles. While the bridge and South Capitol Street are reopening this week, additional improvements to the bridge and along the South Capitol Street Corridor will be implemented between now and April 2008, when the nearby Nationals stadium is set to open. These will include environmentally sensitive lighting and pedestrian access upgrades.