TheCapitol.Net > Teaching how Washington and Congress work. TM > We help you understand Washington and Congress. TM TheCapitol.Net, Inc., GSA Contract Number GS02F0192X
Items in Basket: 0
Total: $0.00

Account     Basket   Checkout
 
  • Home
      • About Us
      • - Contact Us
      • - Capability Statement
      • - News
      • - Opportunities
      • - DUNS, Tax ID, CAGE
      • Certificate Programs
      • Clients
      • Client Testimonials
      • Faculty and Authors
      • FAQs
      • Policies
      • Privacy Notice
      • Congressional Glossary
      • Links
      • Maps and Directions
      • Quick DC Links
      • Research Links
      • U.S. Constitution
      • Visiting Washington, DC
      • You Have Two Cows
      • ___________________
      • Hobnob Blog
      • ___________________
      • Current Catalog
      • Email Update
      • Contact Us
  • Courses
      • Schedule
      • Register for a Course
      • Registration Form (PDF)
      • ___________________
      • Congressional Operations Briefing - Capitol Hill Workshop
      • Congressional Dynamics and the Legislative Process
      • Understanding Congressional Budgeting and Appropriations
      • Writing for Government and Business: Critical Thinking and Writing
      • ___________________
      • CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
      • - Certificate in Congressional Operations
      • - Certificate in Communication and Advocacy
      • Topical Areas
      • Advocacy and Communication
      • Congressional Operations
      • Federal Budgeting
      • Hill Workshops and Special Programs
      • Legislative Drafting Workshop
      • Media Training
      • National Security and Intelligence
      • Professional Development Workshops
      • Research Workshops
      • Testifying Workshop
      • The Executive Branch
      • Working with Congress and Congressional Staff
      • Writing Workshops
      • CEUs from Geroge Mason University
      • CLE Credit
      • Course Locations
      • Faculty and Authors
      • FAQs
      • FAQs About Sponsored Courses
      • Maps and Directions
      • Payment, Cancellation, Substitution and Transfer
      • Registration Information
      • Weather/Snow Policy
      • Where to Stay
      • ___________________
      • Current Catalog
      • Email Update
      • Suggestion Form
      • ___________________
      • Congressional Fellows and Presidential Management Fellows Training
  • Publications
      • Order A Publication
      • Government Series
      • ___________________
      • Pocket Editions
      • - Pocket Constitution and Declaration of Independence
      • - Pocket Edition of Common Sense by Thos. Paine
      • - Pocket Guide to Advocacy on Capitol Hill
      • ___________________
      • A Better Congress: Change the Rules, Change the Results
      • Bill of Rights Card from Two Seas Media
      • Citizen's Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials
      • Common Sense Rules of Advocacy for Lawyers
      • Congressional Deskbook
      • Congressional Directory
      • Congressional Operations Poster
      • Federal Regulatory Process Poster
      • Forbidden Citizens: Chinese Exclusion and the U.S. Congress
      • Legal Spectator & More
      • Legislative Drafter's Deskbook
      • Lobbying and Advocacy
      • Media Relations Handbook for Government, Associations, Nonprofits, and Elected Officials
      • Persuading Congress
      • Real World Research Skills
      • Testifying Before Congress
      • The Federal Budget Process
      • Bookstores
      • Copyright Permissions
      • Faculty and Authors
      • FAQs
      • Potential Authors
      • Rave Reviews
      • Review and Examination Copies
      • ___________________
      • Current Catalog
      • Email Update
      • Suggestion Form
  • Convenience Learning
      • Capitol Learning Audio Courses
      • -  Alphabetical List
      • ___________________
      • Advanced Online Research Skills
      • Congress, the Legislative Process, and the Fundamentals of Lawmaking
      • How America Governs
      • How to Organize a Capitol Hill Day
      • Media Relations: Merging Policy and Media Strategies
      • Strategies and Tactics That Will Help You Impact Congressional Action
      • The Federal Budget Process
      • What Your Member of Congress Can Do for You
      • Topical Areas
      • Advocacy and Communication
      • Congressional Operations
      • Federal Budgeting
      • Informed Citizen Series
      • Media Training
      • Research Skills
      • Special Programs
      • The Executive Branch
      • Working with Congress and Congressional Staff
      • Limited License
      • Customization
      • FAQs
      • ___________________
      • Current Catalog
      • Email Update
      • Suggestion Form
  • Custom Training
      • Government Agencies
      • Prime Contractors
      • Capability Statement
      • ___________________
      • Capitol Hill Day / National Advocacy Day
      • Capitol Hill Workshop - Congressional Briefing Conference
      • Critical Thinking and Writing
      • How Washington Works
      • Testifying Before Congress
      • ___________________
      • Client Quotes
      • Sample Agendas
      • FAQs
      • Contact Us
      • Information Request Form
      • Topical Areas
      • Advocacy and Communication
      • Congressional Operations
      • Federal Budgeting
      • Hill Workshops and Special Programs
      • Media Training
      • Research Skills
      • The Executive Branch
      • Working with Congress and Congressional Staff
      • Writing Workshops
  • Faculty and Authors
      • Faculty Affiliations
      • A-F
      • G-L
      • M-Q
      • R-S
      • T-Z
      • Faculty Favorites on Hobnob Blog
      • ___________________
      • Current Catalog
      • Email Update
      • Contact Us
  • Clients
      • Short Client List
      • Long Client List
      • Client Reviews
      •     Courses
      •     Custom Training
      •     Publications
      • ___________________
      • Current Catalog
      • Email Update
      • Contact Us
      • Congressional Offices
      • Federal Agencies
      • State and Local Government
      • Labor Unions
      • Think Tanks
      • Libraries
      • Military
      • News Media
      • Associations
      • Universities and Schools
      • NGOs and Nonprofits
      • Diplomatic Corps
      • Bookstores
      • Business
      • Coalitions
      • Institutes
      • Lobbying Firms
      • PR Firms
      • Law Firms
      • Law Schools
  • Store
      • Courses
      • Publications
      • Return Policy
      • ___________________
      • Current Catalog
      • Email Update
      • Contact Us
  • Client Care
      • Where to Stay
      • Capitol Hill Hotels and Restaurants
      • Maps and Directions
      • FAQs
      • About Us
      • Return Policy
      • Courses
      • Client Quotes > Rave Reviews
      • Quick DC Links
      • Visiting Washington, DC
      • Research and Reference Tools
      • Privacy Notice
      • ___________________
      • Current Catalog
      • Email Update
      • Contact Us

Visiting Washington, DC

Washington DC Beltway (Capital Beltway, I-495) Map

The "Capital Beltway" is a 64-mile Interstate Highway loop (I-495) around Washington, DC (WDC). Capitol Hill is approximately in the middle of the loop formed by the Beltway.

According to the Urban Dictionary, inside the Beltway is a metonym meaning "A politician, lobbyist, or other person who is politically isolated from the rest of the country, due to the royal court type environment of Washington, DC" inside the Beltway. Being inside the Beltway often leads to Potomac fever, another metonym, according to the Urban Dictionary meaning "A disease peculiar to the greater Washington, DC, metropolitan area that presents chiefly as an intense desire in the infected to be associated with the power and prestige of the United States Federal Government, particularly the Executive Branch. Associated symptoms include acts of extreme obsequiousness to those in power or likely to be in power; asserting as fact things one knows or suspects not to be true; and a burning desire to do more work for less pay."

The Capitol is at the center of the Beltway, although some claim that the Zero Milestone is the center. Congress, which meets at the Capitol, was established as the first branch of government by Article I of the U.S. Constitution.

The inner suburbs of Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Bailey's Crossroads, McLean, parts of Fairfax County) and Maryland (Chevy Chase, Suitland, Bladensburg, Hyattsville, Takoma Park, College Park, Suitland, Seat Pleasant, Bethesda, and part of Silver Spring) are located inside the Beltway.

(Also see these items from the Congressional Glossary: A Note About Usage; "Congress"; Capitol; K Street; Pennsylvania Avenue.)

The major north-south highway in WDC is Interstate 95 (I-95). Other major highways into the area are Interstate 270 (connecting to I-76/I-70 to the north) and Interstate 66 (I-66) from the west.

The Beltway, Interstate 495, surrounds the Washington DC area. If you are unfamiliar with the Beltway, you should be familiar with the names of your entry point and your exit point. The Beltway has on outer ring (counterclockwise) and an inner ring (clockwise), and connects to Interstate 66 on the west (Port Royal), Interstate 95/395 on the south (Richmond), Interstate 95 on the north (Baltimore/New York), and Interstate 270 on the northwest (Gaithersburg).

The two Beltway bridges crossing the Potomac River are the American Legion Memorial Bridge (between McLean, VA and Cabin John, MD) and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (between Alexandria, VA, and Oxon Hill, MD).

Interstate 95 is contiguous with Interstate 495 on the east side of the Beltway between approximately Springfield, VA on the south (Exit 170) (Alexandria, VA, crossing from VA into MD across the Potomac River via the Wilson Bridge, Andrews Air Force Base, and College Park, MD) and Hillendale, MD on the north (Exit 25).

Also see

  • How to Get Into, Around And Out Of Washington, DC

  • Bridges in Washington, DC - Wikipedia

  • George Washington Memorial Parkway - Wikipedia

  • Inside the Beltway - Wikipedia

  • Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) - Wikipedia

  • Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway - Wikipedia
     

Washington DC Beltway (I-495) map. Click for an interactive map from Google

^
NORTH

Click map for an interactive map from Google

Click here for a schematic map of the beltway on Wikipedia

Scale: Each side of the Washington, DC "diamond" is 10 miles.

Back to How to Get Into, Around, and Out Of Washington, DC 

 

 



Bookmark and Share

URL:   www.TheCapitol.Net/VisitingDC/beltway.htm    Last updated: May 18, 2013

 
FAQs Client Care Visiting Washington, DC General Links
Public Courses Payment, Cancellation, Substitution & Transfer Custom On-Site Training Publications Capitol Learning Audio Courses TM - Limited License Congress and Washington, DC Policies Pre-filled Form W-9 (1-page PDF) Registration Information Payment, Cancellation, Substitution, and Transfer Policy Capitol Hill Hotels and Restaurants Maps and Directions Weather/Snow Policy What to Wear Where to Stay Return Policy Suggestion Forms General Information About DC How to Get Into, Around And Out Of Washington, DC Maps and Directions Books and Maps for Visitors Books for Children Museums, Memorials & Monuments Song, Dance & Theater Sports Beltway Map DC Weather About Us - News Congressional Glossary You Have Two Cows Privacy Notice Clients Faculty and Authors Links Research Links Email Update Contact Us
 
   

The Capitol.Net, Inc.

PO Box 25706, Alexandria VA 22313-5706
Phone: 703-739-3790   FAX: 703-739-1195   Email Us

Copyright © 1999-2013 by TheCapitol.Net, Inc. All rights Reserved.