GW Parkway set to reopen as cleanup nearly complete following Saturday’s storm

Listen live to WTOP for the latest on storm damage and outages.

The D.C. region continues to recover after Saturday’s severe storm ripped through the area, toppling trees, and knocking out power for thousands across the area. Here’s what you need to know.

• Traffic Impact: The George Washington Memorial Parkway is set to reopen between 5 and 6 a.m. Wednesday after work crews cleared more than 500 tons of trees, branches and other debris after Saturday’s severe storm ripped through the area.
• Current Outages: As of Wednesday morning, the number of customers without power continued to dwindle as power companies work to restore electricity to residences. In Prince George’s County, Maryland, over 500 users are still in the dark.

GW Parkway cleanup

The southbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway are expected to reopen later Wednesday morning, according to 7News who spoke with the National Park Service.

Part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway reopened Tuesday afternoon after being shuttered for nearly two days as crews worked to clear more than 500 tons of trees and other debris.

One lane was open on the northbound parkway between Spout Run Parkway and the Capital Beltway in Virginia after being closed following the storm.

Although one lane of the parkway reopened, it was unclear if the second, reversible lane in the long-term work zone would be ready for rush hour traffic Tuesday.

In a news release, Charles Cuvelier, the superintendent of the GW Parkway, said crews on Monday removed between 250 and 325 hazardous trees, filling up 100 dump trucks and 15 chipper trucks of debris. All told, crews cleared more than 500 tons of wood and other debris from the parkway.

You can see a map of other road closures in D.C. on an interactive map released by District officials.

Forecast

As August begins, Wednesday will bring continued sunshine and very low humidity with a dew point in the 50s, and warm afternoon highs in the mid-80s.

It will be more humid on Thursday with dew points around 70 degrees. There is an isolated chance for a shower or storm on Thursday and Friday.

The first weekend of August will be warm and muggy, van de Graaff said.

• WEDNESDAY: Partly to mostly sunny. Highs in the mid-80s. Winds: North to Southeast 5-10 mph.
• THURSDAY: Partly to mostly cloudy, breezy with chance of rain and storms. Highs in the mid-80s. Wind: South 10 to 15 mph with gusts of up to 25 mph.

• Listen to WTOP online and on the radio at 103.5 FM or 107.7 FM.
• Current traffic conditions
• Weather forecast
• Closings and Delays
• Sign up for WTOP alerts

Outages

Source