The new traffic pattern at MD 4 and Suitland Parkway is more than a short construction detour. The Maryland State Highway Administration expects the arrangement to remain for approximately two years as construction advances on the interchange.
In an August 11 announcement, SHA scheduled the new pattern to open August 17 following a weekend of installation work and access restrictions. The layout maintains two lanes in each direction on MD 4, also known as Pennsylvania Avenue, and two dedicated left-turn lanes from northbound MD 4 onto Suitland Parkway.
Why traffic moved
SHA’s Summer 2026 project update identifies this as Phase 3, when primary structural work begins. Moving traffic onto a temporary roadway allows crews to construct the interchange while maintaining travel through the area.
The finished project includes a bridge carrying Suitland Parkway over MD 4 and a separate, two-lane flyover connecting northbound MD 4 with westbound Suitland Parkway. Plans also include a shared-use path on the bridge, reconstructed Joint Base Andrews access ramps and a signalized intersection at Presidential Parkway and Central Park Drive.
SHA describes the project’s goals as improving safety and traffic operations while increasing capacity for existing and future demand. Those are the intended benefits of the completed interchange—not a promise that construction will make current trips faster.
What it means for local trips
The August shift follows earlier changes to neighborhood access. In February 2025, SHA announced the closure of Central Park Drive at Presidential Parkway, with detours expected to remain for three years. That notice redirected drivers away from the direct connection between Central Park Drive and MD 4.
The published detours route traffic bound for southbound MD 4 through Presidential Parkway Extended, Machinists Place and the MD 4 Access Road. Access to northbound MD 4 runs through Armstrong Lane, the access road and Westphalia Road.
Another important movement involves drivers approaching on eastbound Suitland Parkway and trying to reach northbound MD 4. SHA’s Summer 2026 instructions send them south on MD 4 to Woodyard Road, where they exit, turn left and use the ramp back onto northbound MD 4.
When will the interchange be finished?
The duration of the temporary traffic pattern and the completion date for the entire project are different milestones.
SHA’s February 2025 notice projected completion in fall 2028, weather permitting. Its newer Summer 2026 newsletter gives an estimated completion date of spring 2029.
The published construction sequence calls for southbound MD 4 to move beneath the new bridge before northbound traffic leaves the temporary roadway. Both directions eventually move into their final layout, with the flyover and access ramps opening in the final phase.
The project also remains a state transportation priority. In its September 1 announcement of the draft six-year transportation capital program, the Maryland Department of Transportation specifically identified completing the MD 4/Suitland Parkway interchange among its priorities for projects already under construction. The program is a draft, with the final version scheduled for submission to the Legislature in January.
Where to check before driving
SHA advises drivers to allow additional travel time, stay alert and follow posted signs and speed limits through the work zone. Its project portal provides construction information, while Maryland 511 provides real-time traffic conditions. Residents with project questions can contact SHA’s District 3 Office at 301-513-7300.