The $2.
The development of the 5 billion-name Marina, which will open this weekend, will change the city's smallest quadrant by bringing luxury housing, retail, food and entertainment to the Southwest Waterfront.
It also brings a lot of people and transportation.
Starting Thursday, the first few days of operations alone are expected to attract up to 20,000 visitors a day.
A week after the opening, the real work started.
In addition to tourists and local tourists, the project developers are expected to build a prosperous residential community with as many as 2,000 people living and thousands working.
Upon completion of the project, more than 3 million square feet of new homes, offices, hotels and public areas will be built.
But city and project officials say they are ready.
Two subway stations are within walking distance: Waterfront and L'Enfant Plaza.
The new pick-up service will provide guests with a pick-up service from L'Enfant Plaza to the shopping center.
The new water taxi will be connected near the old town of George Town and Alexandria.
"We're not talking about opening a building or a venue.
This is equivalent to the opening of a small city, "D said. C.
Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6).
"It will bring some traffic challenges.
"Only the first phase of the project --
Including 24 acres and a mile of waterfront-
Open on Thursday, there are more than 20 restaurants, shops and entertainment venues.
It also has two office buildings, three hotels, two apartments and two apartments, and will provide 868 apartments.
The project's waterfront access includes four public docks and one mile.
The long cobblestone promenade is expected to attract tourists.
With the completion of the first phase of the project, more venues and restaurants will open in the spring.
The second phase will add more retail space, office buildings and residential use by the end of 2021.
Monty Hoffman, who obtained development rights in the city 11 years ago, said he expects 100,000 people to visit the pier on a busy weekend, and once it is completed, as many as 15 million people visit each year.
The key to managing traffic and crowds is to have multiple options for people to get in and out of development, including cars, buses, bicycles, subways and water, Allen said.
Bicycle infrastructure such as bike trails and trails is part of the Community Grid.
Four Capital bike stations will be launched
The website includes the website of 9 Maine Avenue and West South Street.
The developer offers a free shuttle from the pier to the lunfen square Metro and shopping center, which runs every 10 minutes.
Officials expect as many as 300,000 people to visit the pier each year through the water taxi service scheduled to start this week, which will connect to the old town and Georgetown in less than 30 minutes.
This service will add stops at the National Port in the spring and seasonal yards.
"In fact, you can now get to the dock from Alexandria in 25 minutes, which illustrates a few things," said Charlotte Hall, vice president of Potomac river boat.
Running the service.
"Many people are reluctant to cross the bridge because of heavy traffic.
We know that this is a refreshing experience without having to deal with traffic, traffic lights and road construction.
"Nevertheless, the development is expected to exacerbate traffic congestion in the region and exacerbate some of the bottlenecks near the popular fish market on Maine Boulevard.
According to recent traffic reviews, after the project is completed, nearly 500 vehicles can be generated per hour during the morning commute, and up to 570 vehicles per hour during peak hours at night.
Bars, restaurants and entertainment venues can contribute to transportation at night and on weekends.
But officials are betting on more people who rely on transit, which, according to reports, has the ability to handle additional travel.
"We are ready for the traffic.
But this is a community where we want to rely on a lot of public transport and we are trying to provide more public transport with this water taxi and shuttle bus, "said Amer hamm, chairman of Madison Marquette, one of the project developers.
This development may promote passengers on the Metro Green Line, which is only 25 miles from the hotel.
L'Enfant Plaza station, which serves 5 subway lines, is half a mile north.
Future announcement stations and Metro stations are planned to be near the site of Maine Avenue to supplement stations that have been along seventh and M streets.
Officials and developers say they hope these programs will help maintain good traffic.
Easy access to the site from interstate 395, 695 and 295.
With the opening of the development, streets in the southwest will be affected by pedestrian and vehicle traffic, but officials say they expect traffic patterns to stabilize in a few weeks.
For those who choose to drive, there are 1,500 parking spaces developed and will eventually have 2,500.
Officials say the goal is to minimize vehicle travel and reduce the overlap between new local and regional traffic.
Some signal improvements on Marina Way and Maine Avenue are expected to increase capacity.
"The strategy is not to invest in widening the road to alleviate capacity problems, but to minimize capacity problems.
"This is also because it is not feasible and desirable to widen the roads to increase the capacity of more vehicles," the transport report notes . ".
Traffic control officials and electronic message boards will be nearby to help with mobile traffic.
In order to reduce the queuing situation, traffic signal timing is being adjusted.
But drivers in the area should expect congestion.
The ride service will be directed to the designated pick-up service
South of Maine Avenue.
The rental station will be located on the north edge of Maine Avenue, between Seventh Street and Ninth Street.
"Without a building, traffic at the entrance to the fish market would be difficult," Allen said . ".
"We will have to monitor very closely.