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Re: Capital Beltway Semantics
Nobody does it better (beard@PROBLEM_WITH_INEWS_GATEWAY_FILE) wrote:
>>This past weekend, I was traveled back home to Philly from NC. Going through
>>Washington (or around it), I immediately wanted to get some questions answered
>>explicitly about the Capital Beltway. So if there are any savvy interstate
>>motorists, I would like to ask you some questions.
> 1) Briefly explain the "Beltway" concept. When were the roads built? Was there
> a need for it? What was there before the beltway? Dis/Advantages?
Picture that belt around your waist. Now replace your stomache with DC,
and start wearing that belt around 1964.
>>2) Beltway Semantics: Candidly, Explain the signs, "Outer Loop," "Inner Loop"
I always wanted them to use clockwise (CW) and Counter-Clockwise (CCW) to
tell them apart, but the sign-makers have different ideas. In this country,
drivers going clockwise around a circular freeway will be on the Inner Loop.
>> -Differentiate between the East and West sections of the Beltway.
No. Directions of East and West only have sporadic meaning when you're
traveling in a circle. That signage is just there to confuse people.
>> 4) If I'm correct, doesn't the beltway cut through two states?
>> Can you name the exits where the borders are?
The states' border is the Potomac River. You'll find bridges there,
in addition to exits on either side.
>> 5) If possible, please name the counties and their respective states, that
>> surround the beltway
Alexandria & Fairfax, VA; and Prince Georges & Montgomery, MD.
(Little-known fact: the southernmost wedge of DC cuts across one of the
bridges.)
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