14 -11 The Capital Beltway: I-495 in Virginia & More

Follows the inner loop of the Capital Beltway (I-95/I-495) from Mile 7 in Maryland west and north through Virginia to the I-270 Interchange back in Maryland.

[@socarboy]

Very much enjoyed this ride on the loop around DC. Great photography and content another winner.

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you much!

[@MultiTransitMan]

I have watched everyone of your videos for the past 2 years, and this one, is now one of favorites!!

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed it!

[@CosmoPhotography]

One of my favorite stretches of freeway and my absolute favorite metro area in the US! :-) Man, this was awesome, and I loved the first Rush song you used. This is a hands down favorite!

[@Freewayjim]

Thanks, glad you liked it, they sure did an awesome job on the west side of the Beltway.

[@asteyhighways]

Absolutely stunning! I loved all these flyover ramps. It was really an interesting itinerary, and need to watch it again on my TV. Too bad for the high traffic. Loved too, the high quality picture of the numerous road signs!

[@Freewayjim]

Thanks, yes there is a lot going on along that road. As for traffic I consider myself fortunate that the little slowdown we had was the only issue, that road is notorious for heavy traffic.

[@jmvfrva]

Always enjoy your take of the roads in my hometown Jim - very nice ride.

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you! always enjoy filming in the DC area when traffic cooperates.

[@runningcharizard8300]

Every time we go on a trip up north (either Atlantic City, NJ or NYC) we always take the beltway from I-66 to I-95. Memories.

[@jacobtimmons2170]

Nice Job with DC this year Jim! Rush is clearly one of my favorite bands! Sorry that you had to go through all that heavy traffic and rain until you got to NJ, but I can't wait for the NYC-NJ Vids! Keep going!

[@Freewayjim]

Thanks, I think you'll like what's coming up.

[@graceandpeace4414]

A few years ago drove on the beltway. All because I miss my exit on I 95 to go to LaPlata Md. My nerves were frazzled.

[@luvcarsgay]

Terrific video. I have never traveled the western leg of the Capital Beltway. Looks like wild fun.

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you! it's more interesting than the east side that's for sure.

[@DTD110865]

I have twice. The first time I hit no traffic and the second time it was as bad as DC traffic can get. Both times I avoided the Springfield Interchange too.

[@dave11686]

Great video and music! Love Rush!

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you!

[@doorisopen]

My mom remembered when the beltway first opened that her mom, who lived near Falls Church (off US 50), insisted my mom, who lived in Springfield (near I-95) call her when she got home because the beltway was such a lonely road. My how times have changed.

[@LolaCrazy2221]

I remember when the beltway was only 4 lanes. That's when I was 4 years old living in Woodbridge back in 1972 and 1973. The Springfield Mall opened back in 1973 and I remember going there with my mom the first day it opened. There was nothing around it back then. This was way before the Springfield Mall was known for gang problems. You are right times have changed a lot since then. If I am not mistaken this is when the Springfield Interchange was first starting to have a lot of traffic. Was this when traffic problems in this area were first beginning?

[@FreewayBrent]

Man...so many highlights in one video. I believe this is the first video I've seen of the completed I-495 widening project in conjunction with the bridge. Every video I can recall seeing had some sort of construction going on. Those express lanes are simply awesome. Way better than the express lanes that Caltrans District 4 has been implementing around the Bay Area. Similar to I-15 in San Diego, the dedicated exit and entrance ramps make for a much better managed and safer facility. Sharing this on my Facebook fan page.

[@Freewayjim]

Thanks, glad you liked it....the plan was indeed to show the bridge, interchange and lanes all in one video, a lot of good work has been done on the road over the past 10-15 years.

[@Freewayjim]

No, this is just a hobby, and yes I get enough positive feedback to stick with it.

[@TheSolarcatcher]

Nice ride Jim. Great light for the time you shot.

[@Freewayjim]

Thanks, sometimes the plans just all work out :)

[@califgirl101]

that was awesome!

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you very much :)

[@cjs121675]

Nice ride through the beltway! Nice HOT lanes and upgrades on it... also I love seeing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge- always good to see one of the last drawbridges on the Interstate system! Ohio took out the I-280 drawbridge in Toledo back in '07 so it is nice to see this one still in place! Always nice to see what my friends in DC moan about in a video! LOL.

[@Freewayjim]

LOL, good point! thanks.

[@srilakshmichivukula5306]

It is so good

[@EpicThe112]

Nice video Jim and I did drive thru this strech of I-95/I-495 from exit 170 in Virginia upto exit 22 in Maryland back in 2011 and it seems that MD & VA did steps to improve the beltway

[@jkgeorges216]

Thanks!

[@Freewayjim]

Thanks

[@MikeAW2010]

I like how Virginia side of I-495 is focused on thru lanes, express and toll lanes while the Maryland side looks like nothing more than I-285 in Atlanta. I also like how the highway is divided between Virginia and Maryland and you can tell the distinction of how each state built and maintained it.

[@GoJoGeoff]

Very nice ride. I like the thought of being welcomed into Virginia - one day! Building a road with room for expansion is something you won't see here. We tend to do the reverse, add the lanes later with as much traffic disruption as possible!

[@Freewayjim]

Thanks, not a lot of urban US roads are built with expansion in mind but it does happen now and then.

[@adamfroehlig3195]

When I was stationed in the area, I lived right off the Route 1 interchange. Regarding your comment at 2:28-2:34, there's a 178 milepost on the Outer Loop (NB I-95) Local Lanes, on the first part of the WWB (but before one crosses what is officialy the border). I know it's a popular effect with some, but it feels like too much bouncing around with the frame speed, especially around the Springfield Interchange.

[@CrystalClearWith8BE]

Okay. My first comment in your channel. Three days later until this video is taken down and the remix gets released. Can't wait to see the remix after this video is taken down. I'm glad this video reached 64K views.

[@Freewayjim]

Why do you assume this video will be taken down? Don't assume things, even if I remix a video the original will stay up unless it gets zapped by the KZbin Music police, but I certainly won't take it down.

[@CrystalClearWith8BE]

Oh. I'm sorry.

[@CrystalClearWith8BE]

Thanks for your understanding. Once again, I'm sorry for predicting. I can't wait for your next video. What about the FedEx Stadium?

[@Freewayjim]

@@CrystalClearWith8BE What about it? it's not very impressive tbh.

[@thevultrantransituniverse1487]

2020 season - back to the Northeast!!

[@InkaBall]

Virginia: Casual Driving and Casual Traffic Maryland: *RACE 120 MPH IN TRAFFIC AT ALL TIMES*

[@michaelsheppard8471]

That area is no joke to drive in I have driven that road many times I have been just 30 miles from my sister house in Baltimore and it takes me 3 hours

[@YetAnotherGeorgeth]

I need to stop listening to Rush as I immediately recognised the two songs right from the first note! Good selection, btw. ;)

[@Freewayjim]

LOL, Thanks!

[@csxguy3002]

3:56 Syncs pretty well, traffic jam at the I-95 enterence and says Tough times.

[@InkaBall]

*it was truly tough times tho.*

[@PantherGeek7]

Does anybody actually obey the 55 MPH speed limit on the Capital Beltway? I've driven on it a few times, and I get the feeling that driving 55 MPH on that road is dangerously slow.

[@trevornorton5297]

Adam Philyaw no haha. everyone goes like 70

[@5C2WMedia]

hell no

[@lorenzomoore6398]

Not at all unfortunately....If you are going to do 55 you bet stay in your 2 left lanes because they will run you over.

[@johnfoltz8183]

Speed limits in Maryland and Virginia are merely suggestions.

[@ATP2555ify]

@@johnfoltz8183 ^

[@messitheking952]

una vez mas,un trabajo impecable...y como si fuera poco rush...... excelente.....saludos de marcelo ,desde rosario,argentina......

[@islandofthemoon]

I would also love to see I-66, VA 267, VA 123, VA 7 and Dulles Toll Road (westbound), which would show the new Metro Silver Line which is "supposed" to open in August (it has been delayed several times already).

[@jimgeorges447]

I have a couple I-66 videos from 2009 and I think some of the other video producers might have a couple of the other roads you mentioned.

[@PerfectReboot]

I think it tough competition from Washington D.C and LA with traffic Issues

[@annakatewilson5822]

The Escape Game's Escape Rooms Are: The Heist, Classified, Gold Rush, Prison Break, Mission: Mars, And Playground.

[@nelsonlachappellejr9377]

Are you going to do anymore videos in the north east in 2021 or 2022?

[@annakatewilson5822]

Breakout's Escape Rooms Are: The Kidnapping, The Haunted, Undercover Alley, Island, Waves, Airplane, And Pinball.

[@annakatewilson5822]

Trapped's Escape Rooms Are: Haunted Cabin, Dead Zone, Capone, Alcatraz, Asylum, And Apocalypse.

[@CheeseMasterSports]

I have an idea for you next time you are in DC, Do the freeway portion of the George Washington memorial Parkway

[@bccadet07]

I think you should also put down I 95 in Virginia next on your list, but not until next year when the express lanes are completed.

[@Freewayjim]

I've filmed I-95 before and probably will not be going this way for a while.

[@AJonAir1]

Did you know "Spirit of Radio" was Toronto radio station CFNY's slogan? Rush is from Toronto. AND, they mentioned their frequency (102.1) as a production code for their album.

[@Freewayjim]

I did not know that, cool factoid!

[@AJonAir1]

I'm a radio nerd ;). I actually am a DJ, and considering you've filmed in Toronto, I put 2 and 2 together!

[@Freewayjim]

Alex Jirgens I've never been to Toronto let alone filmed there, I think you have me confused with someone else.

[@AJonAir1]

You're right! I was thinking of Freewaybrent! XD

[@Freewayjim]

Alex Jirgens I thought so, lol..that said I would love to visit and film Toronto, and go to the Hockey Hall of Fame as well.

[@massbytrainmpw]

Minor nitpick, but at at the very beginning, the "Capital Beltway" shield you displayed on the screen is upside down

[@musicman451]

Rush!!! You should speed up the film and layer Red Barchetta

[@Percy-GT]

I went from exit 3 to I 270

[@countenanceblog]

I noticed that too, that the HOT lanes had their own exits, and at least one of them was a left exit. And I'm not a big fan of that. You'll get the inevitable fool, drunk driver, or someone driving in heavy fog who is used to right-side exits, who thinks that the left side exit is really the continuation of the road, takes it at full speed, and boom, crashes into something. In my conscious lifetime, I can think of two right off the bat: One here in St. Louis, when the exit from mainline WB I-70 to Union Blvd was a left-hand exit, (to facilitate the express lanes' exit to Union being a right hand exit, the two exits joined), some drunk thought that was the continuation of I-70, took the exit at full speed and rammed through it and into the overpass barrier on the other side (there was no west-facing half to that setup). The other time was in your neck of the woods in Atlanta, it was foggy, some tour bus driver couldn't see his way through the fog, the bus was in an HOV lane, and he took the exit thinking it was the continuation of the HOV lane, and I think crashed into some cars.

[@46619TAB]

I remember seeing some of those left hand exits in Atlanta when I began driving Chicago to Orlando and thinking 'that's an accident waiting to happen'. In 2007 the driver of a highway tour bus chartered by an Ohio college and filled with it's baseball team mistakenly followed a left hand exit on a clear night assuming he was following the lanes on I 75. The bus crossed the surface street bridge at highway speed, crashed thru barriers and landed on the pavement of I 75 below. Several were killed.

[@TheAngrybirds90]

Wait, 10:10pm, or am?

[@Percy-GT]

It was only like 40 minutes to like north Bethesda

[@muhammedsoofi4971]

I think for the next DC video you go to l-270 from 13A to 33

[@islandofthemoon]

Wow... I used to drive this stretch of the Beltway (esp. from Braddock Road to the Dulles Toll Road) regularly. The last time I drove it was in May 2009 in the midst of the big HOT lanes widening project. Thanks for showing it now that's complete. I'm still waiting on Bing to update their aerial imagery for Openstreetmap.org so I can go back in and more accurately align the "new" Beltway and ramps which I added way back when they were still just proposed. See: www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/38.9282/-77.2144

[@PGHammer21A]

I live in this area (Maryland Exits 3 - MD 210 southbound). In 2016 and 2017, I spent a year going between MD 210 and VA 7, due to dealing with three cancer tumors.

[@nelsonlachappellejr9377]

What states does Interstate 495 pass through?

[@PGHammer21A]

Only two - Maryland and Virginia.

[@jeffreyhonafius1264]

Haven't traveled that section of the beltway for years. Avoid the capital beltway like the plague and go around through Leesburg . Traffic is always bad around that Springfield interchange no matter what time of day it is

[@JeffDeWitt]

Another great video. I've never cared for Rush, but that music fits going around that AWFUL city.

[@benlonghighway]

At the beginning of our trip, it looks like we're seeing a wide shoulder on our left, similar to the northern Massachusetts portion of US-3. Perhaps they were anticipating a lane there? 0:56 64's one of my lucky numbers, and since this whole beltway's 64 miles long, I could make a game out of this highway for the Nintendo 64 if I were able to. XD 1:33 And here we go again with the express/local lanes here! 2:02 And here's that drawbridge again. 3:20 This is more than just a "Spaghetti Junction!" By the way, aren't they gonna work on THAT part of the highway for the Express lanes? 3:50 Woah, what a wide stretch of highway! I don't think New England's got any of THAT. :'( 4:05 Look at all that traffic! What is going on there, huh? 5:13 This is something interesting; TWO speed limits on a highway (one for express and one for local)? This is new. Are there any other highways out there that do that? 7:40 I agree, Jim! 8:15 More construction to add the express lanes, eh? Great video, Jim! :D

[@Freewayjim]

1:33 There is room on the left for a 3rd lane. 3:30 the HOV/Express lane connectors are already built and in place, get a close up on google maps. 3:50 I-84 east of Hartford is the only thing that comes close. Thank you!

[@Ibelikemj]

Freewayjim Wouldnt 85 north of Atlanta be bigger than what was mentioned of 3:50 That has to be at least 20 lanes.

[@Freewayjim]

***** Yes.

[@MrJamesgrate]

Great video, sorry but the music took a little getting use to, but the overall scenery was fantastic, even when you crossed the draw bridge out of Virginia into Maryland. Good job Jim!!!

[@Freewayjim]

That's cool, Rush isn't for everyone.

[@BatteryMill]

10:10 PM? Why isn't it dark. Anyways, awesome and I can't wait until I can make videos like these.

[@Freewayjim]

Typo, it happens. At least you watched the credits, thanks :)

[@adventureguy5088]

5:42 NoVa drivers in a nutshell LOL.

[@WheatleyGLaDOS]

In PG county they would do the same, but with no turn signal, and no clearance (and sometimes a middle finger out of the driver side window).

[@MegaFred1958]

Hey Jim,I can,t watch your videos on my iPad......

[@Freewayjim]

That's a music company/you tube issue, some songs work, some don't, it's unfortunate but nothing I can do about it.

[@ATP2555ify]

4:06 uh oh traffic jam

[@stephenkiefer]

Watch yourself on this one because if you don;t you will go round and round and round!!!

[@Freewayjim]

+stephen kiefer I live in Atlanta, we have a beltway too (I-285), I'm used to it :)

[@stephenkiefer]

+Freewayjim Really ? Never knew that. Oh well learn something new each day.

[@ChernobylPizza]

This is really weird. First you follow in my footsteps to my vacation to California, then you come to my home of Decatur, then you drive by Falls Church which is where my girlfriend lives

[@Freewayjim]

LOL, what are the odds?

[@michaelsheppard8471]

If you don't have to drive that don't or don't go doing rush hours that DMV is ruthless

[@kofijo10]

Don't forget 695.

[@dominicnichols]

You should have put Virginia & Maryland instead of Virginia & More.

[@rturobhutan2766]

I'm Arthur Bhutic. Buildings along must rise above ground level on stilts to make way for expansion! Intersecting rail 🚈 road tracks must rise above grade level! You'd be seeing Flying Amtrak Trains 🚆! Along the rr tracks close to I-95 be an above grade level magnetic levitation train 🚆 line! Roads overpassing depress to grade level and the road overpasses! Underpasses rise to grade level, and that intersecting rd depresses below grade level! The parallel feeder rd depresses below grade level! There'll be intersecting rds that'll be wide median rds, express rds, or toll rds! The one's to be express rds or toll rds get parallel below grade level feeder rds! At interchanges, one rd at grade level and the other overpasses! The interchange ramps fly over! Feeder rds of both Interstates intersect each other underground 🚇! There must be complete concrete, curbs, and sewer feeder rds! Exit ramps after intersections and entrance ramps before intersections! That's for backed up ☝ traffic to stay on the feeder rds for good 👍! Must be a total of 8 lns (4 lns each way)! The feeder rds at below grade level rds, express rds, and toll rds depress below grade level! The draw bridge must be replaced by a higher bridge to avoid being a draw bridge! Too be 2 additional bridges that are feeder rd bridges! Too, be an underground 🚇 express and concrete! That'll seperate express traffic for good 👍! The HOV Ln must sink underground 🚇 being concrete! Too avoid taking space on the rd! The speed can raise to 75! There must be elevated interchange ramps on the rd when going to 95, 66, and 270, starting from the rd before! On the intersection before 95, 66, and 270, be an exit ramp to the feeder rds of 95, 66, and 270 to overpass the entrance ramp just before that intersection! Before 95 must be 12 lns! After 95 must be 10 lns! Too be concrete! The speed can raise to 65! Pedestrian 🚶 bridges be replaced by ped tunnels! Sides of feeder rds that are developed must get sidealks! Sidewalk ramps at intersections! There must be motor vehicle control safety chips in the pavement! That's for new vehicles with motor vehicle control safety monitors to be regulated! By that the dependence on the steering wheel is minimized! Won't be manual anymore! Instead be automatic! Driver's License unnecessary! However a Driver's Permit needed to be on the main rd of Interstates, express rds, or toll rds! There must be computer chips in the pavement! That's for vehicles with joysticks 🕹 to run on the rd! A Driver's License unnecessary! However a Driver's Permit needed to be on the main rd of the Interstates, express rds, and toll rds! This instead of manual is automated! On the sides of the rd be barriers for mini vehicles and bicycles 🚲! This mini vehicles include Phillippine Jeepney Jeepitos! For bicycles 🚲 to get on the lane on the main rd must be gas or electric! Along the Potomac River be hike 🚶 and bike 🚲 trails 👣 running 🏃 under the bridges! By schools 🏫 be ped 🚶 tunnels! There be an island median with trees 🌳!

[@CheeseMasterSports]

I made and uploaded my first video kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5-0couegrakoLs

[@tayraducharme1554]

fast and slow