The Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge is a swing bridge that carries South Capitol Street over the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. It was built in 1950 and named after abolitionist Frederick Douglass. In 2007, the bridge was used by 77,000 daily commuters.About the bridgeThe bridge connects at its southern terminus with Interstate 295 and the Suitland Parkway and thus provides access to downtown from those routes as well as from South Capitol Street and roads connecting to it. As a result, the bridge carries commuter traffic from Prince George's County, Maryland, and from Southern Maryland. The bridge is part of the National Highway System, as are South Capitol Street north of the bridge and the Suitland Parkway.The bridge provides a gateway to an industrial part of the city that the District of Columbia government wants to rejuvenate, including the area around the new Nationals Park for the Washington Nationals, which opened March 30, 2008.The bridge was re-decked in 1974 and again in 1988. In 2007, the bridge was closed from July 6 to August 29 for a $27 million renovation project meant to extend its life for 20 years. The northernmost portion of the bridge was lowered to become an at‑grade roadway with a new intersection at South Capitol Street and Potomac Avenue. Nearly three blocks of elevated roadway, which blocked access across South Capitol Street, were removed and replaced with at‑grade intersections that will help knit the neighborhood together. The deck was once again replaced and resurfaced, and new street lights and guard rails were added.
