DOT wants private sector to end $43M freight bottleneck
The American Legion Memorial Bridge on the Capital Beltway outside Washington, D.C. — a primary East Coast bypass for long-distance trucks — is costing the freight industry an estimated $43 million in delay-related impacts because of congestion.
The issue matters for drivers because this stretch of highway isn’t just a local commuter headache. It’s a key link for through-traffic trying to avoid downtown Washington, and when it backs up, the delays hit schedules, hours-of-service planning, and delivery windows for loads moving up and down the I-95 corridor.
In broader recommendations aimed at freight chokepoints, a U.S. Department of Transportation advisory panel called for major truck-specific infrastructure and support to be financed through public-private partnerships.
- A dedicated truck tunnel under the Hudson River
- 40,000 new truck parking spaces nationwide
For drivers, parking is a day-to-day operational issue tied directly to safety and compliance. A large expansion of truck parking, if built where it’s needed, would address one of the most common pinch points on long-haul runs: finding a legal space before running out of hours.
The advisory panel’s approach points to a bigger theme in freight policy: using private-sector participation to help fund and speed up projects that the trucking network depends on, especially where congestion and limited capacity are already producing measurable costs.