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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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