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→Capital Beltway: revised internal link
A '''beltway''' is a [[highway]] that encircles an [[urban]] area so that [[traffic]] does not have to go through that urban area.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/beltway "Beltway," from Dictionary.com]</ref> Other terms are "ring road" and "orbital motorway." Unlike urban highways, beltways generally require little or no demolition of existing property, as where possible they run through non-built up areas.
A '''beltway''' is a [[highway]] that encircles an [[urban]] area so that [[traffic]] does not have to go through that urban area.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/beltway "Beltway," from Dictionary.com]</ref> Other terms are "ring road" and "orbital motorway." Unlike urban highways, beltways generally require little or no demolition of existing property, as where possible they run through non-built up areas.
==Capital Beltway==
==Capital Beltway==
"The Beltway" as a [[proper noun]] typically refers to I-495, properly called "The Capital Beltway," the eastern half of which is also designated I-95. The Capital Beltway is a 6- to 10-lane highway which surrounds [[Washington DC]]. It loops through [[Suburb]]an [[Maryland]] and Northern [[Virginia]] (and for a very short distance over the waters of the District of Columbia<ref>[http://www.roadstothefuture.com/Woodrow_Wilson_Bridge.html "Woodrow Wilson Bridge," from Roads to the Future]</ref>), crossing the [[Potomac River]] in two different locations. The [[American Legion Bridge]] and the [[Woodrow Wilson Bridge]] are choke-points for area traffic. <ref>http://www.traffic.com/Washington-DC-Traffic/I-495_Capital_Beltway-1.html</ref>
"The Beltway" as a [[proper noun]] typically refers to I-495, properly called "The Capital Beltway," the eastern half of which is also designated I-95. The Capital Beltway is a 6- to 10-lane highway which surrounds [[Washington DC]]. It loops through [[Suburb]]an [[Maryland]] and [[Virginia#Regions, Counties and Cities|Northern Virginia]] (and for a very short distance over the waters of the District of Columbia<ref>[http://www.roadstothefuture.com/Woodrow_Wilson_Bridge.html "Woodrow Wilson Bridge," from Roads to the Future]</ref>), crossing the [[Potomac River]] in two different locations. The [[American Legion Bridge]] and the [[Woodrow Wilson Bridge]] are choke-points for area traffic. <ref>http://www.traffic.com/Washington-DC-Traffic/I-495_Capital_Beltway-1.html</ref>
Because the Beltway is a closed loop, the usual directional terminology used on other highways is ineffective in describing I-495. Thus, rather than traveling on North I-495 or East I-495, the two directions on the Beltway are called the "Inner Loop" and the "Outer Loop". Travelers on the Inner Loop of the Beltway move in a "clockwise" direction, while Outer Loop travelers travel the opposite direction. For a few miles on either side of the Wilson Bridge, each of the loops splits into local and express (through) roadways, for a total of four roadways called (from north to south) Inner Loop — Local, Inner Loop — Through, Outer Loop — Through, and Outer Loop — Local.
Because the Beltway is a closed loop, the usual directional terminology used on other highways is ineffective in describing I-495. Thus, rather than traveling on North I-495 or East I-495, the two directions on the Beltway are called the "Inner Loop" and the "Outer Loop". Travelers on the Inner Loop of the Beltway move in a "clockwise" direction, while Outer Loop travelers travel the opposite direction. For a few miles on either side of the Wilson Bridge, each of the loops splits into local and express (through) roadways, for a total of four roadways called (from north to south) Inner Loop — Local, Inner Loop — Through, Outer Loop — Through, and Outer Loop — Local.