Traffic jams and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge

It's a sunny early afternoon as I headed for Virginia. I am glad that the bridge is finally decongested from heavy traffic. But a year ago, that wasn’t the case …

The famous Woodrow Wilson Bridge has been the bone of contention to many commuters. There are a lot of construction and re-routings going on. Road expansions flourish in nearby Alexandria, Virginia (VA) and Oxon Hill, Maryland (MD) which added to the traffic jam. I hear friends, and even people in the news, who wouldn't cross the bridge without giving out a big sigh of “The bridge, the bridge, when will it ever end?”

It normally takes me an hour drive from my sister's family house in Virginia to my place in Maryland. But last July 1^st was one of those nights of horrific delays. The first 40 minutes was uneventful until I reached the Telegraph Road interchange.

As I approached the bridge, from four lanes in the highway, they narrowed down to three, two and one lane then back to four lanes after crossing the bridge. Despite the late night hour, there were many vehicles, cars and trucks alike, thus the long queue.

As I drove my way down passing one vehicle after another, I couldn't help but look around, too. Tail lights glaring, police cars blinking, workers pounding, drivers pouting, road signs flashing: Road work ahead, expect delays; Two left lanes closed, merge right. With my car windows down, I could hear engines roaring, brakes screeching, car stereos blasting and horns blowing. As the wind breezes in, I could feel its gentle touch only to be bothered by the smell of burned gas, or was it fuming anger? I thought of only one word as I turned on the AC and turned up the automatic windows: patience, patience, patience.

While still stuck on the road, I couldn't help but mentally picture my native country, the Philippines. The construction here is nothing as compared to the roads and environmental conditions in the tropical island. I remember the years when the Manila Metro Rail Transit was under construction along the historic EDSA Avenue which was about 54 kilometers long, I think. The heat of the sun; the hidden potholes; the ankle-inch flood, the smoke-belching buses and jeepneys; nerve-wrecking road rage and unruly drivers, all, if not some, of that were what I went through in a day's commute, not to mention minutes of stand stillness.

What's amusing though was the sight of street vendors freely-walking along the vehicle-filled streets. They sell all kinds of products from blue-sealed cigarettes, chewing gums, mechanical toys, abanico fans to bottled water and even boiled peanuts. With nothing to do in the buses or jeepneys, commuters delight themselves in many ways. They read magazines, make phone calls or send SMS. Some munch their crunchy chips, others sneak time to snore; some sing-along with the music loudly played on the bus’ stereo; others eavesdrop some juicy news; still, others daydream of their loved one who is miles away from them.

Nevertheless, my mental slide show was shortly clipped when somebody's car cuts-off my lane. Oh well, no matter what place, there are still rude drivers.

And so, while still behind the wheel that Tuesday night, all I could think of was the Americans are blessed not to worry of any possible uneven pavements, no smoldering heat, no muggy air, no water sipping in or suspicious eyes gawking. Most of all, the vehicles were in motion even though at a slow pace with no rain or snow falling down. It was just a road delay in one cloudy night. Okay, maybe a few more nights like this.

After an hour and a half in a zigzag traffic jam, I finally reached home, physically tired and mentally drained. My ordeal may not be far from over yet, but at least it was not everyday.

A year later, all of these discomforts have been forgotten. More lanes are now open, from four lanes to six lanes. The bridge now stood sturdier, orange-cones free, crossing the historic Potomac River as it continually serves three states – Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. From VA going to MD, you will notice the sprawling National Harbor area; while from MD going to VA, from a distance, you will have a beautiful glimpse of the Washington Monument, part of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and nearby to it is part of the Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) runway.