Alexandria, VA Traffic Cameras: 400+ Live Cams

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About Alexandria Traffic

Alexandria sits at one of the most congested intersections of the Washington DC metropolitan area's highway network. The city straddles the junction where I-95, I-395, and I-495 (the Capital Beltway) converge at the infamous Springfield Interchange — better known as the "Mixing Bowl" — creating a daily chokepoint for hundreds of thousands of commuters moving between Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland.

With a population of approximately 160,000, Alexandria functions as both a major employment center and a residential commuter hub. Alexandria residents face an average commute time of 31.8 minutes, which is significantly higher than the national average, reflecting the unique challenges of the DC metro area.

The city's eastern edge along the Potomac River hosts Old Town Alexandria — a dense historic district with narrow colonial-era streets that were never designed for modern traffic volumes.

Commuters can also monitor live street feeds along Duke Street and King Street to navigate around Old Town congestion or events at the waterfront. Meanwhile, the western corridors along Van Dorn Street, Eisenhower Avenue, and Duke Street carry heavy suburban commuter flows toward the Beltway and I-395.

Major Freeways

I-495 / Capital Beltway and Woodrow Wilson Bridge

The Capital Beltway passes through Alexandria's southern and eastern sections, carrying over 200,000 vehicles daily. The Woodrow Wilson Bridge — the Beltway's crossing of the Potomac River between Alexandria and Prince George's County, Maryland — is one of the most congested segments of I-495. The bridge handles approximately 250,000 vehicles per day, including heavy truck traffic on the only Beltway crossing south of the American Legion Bridge.

The Telegraph Road (VA-611) interchange, the US-1 interchange, and the Eisenhower Avenue connector all feed traffic onto this stretch of the Beltway. Southbound morning congestion and northbound evening congestion on the bridge approaches are severe and predictable.

The Springfield Interchange (Mixing Bowl)

The Springfield Interchange sits at Alexandria's western boundary where I-95, I-395, I-495, and the Franconia-Springfield Parkway converge. Despite a $676 million reconstruction completed in 2007, this interchange remains one of the worst bottlenecks in the DC metro area. The multi-level ramp system processes traffic moving in every direction between these major freeways, and any incident cascades delays across all connected routes.

Morning commuters heading north on I-95 toward DC via I-395 stack up at the interchange, while evening traffic reverses the pattern. The I-95 Express Lanes (managed by Transurban) provide a tolled bypass option, but general-purpose lanes remain heavily congested during peak hours.

I-395 Through Alexandria

I-395 runs along Alexandria's northern edge, connecting the Mixing Bowl to the Pentagon and downtown DC. The Seminary Road and Duke Street interchanges are primary access points for Alexandria residents heading to and from the freeway. The reversible HOV lanes and 395 Express Lanes carry commuters between Springfield and the Pentagon, but general-purpose lanes slow to a crawl during rush hours.

The Landmark Mall area near the Duke Street interchange generates significant local traffic that merges with freeway-bound commuters, creating congestion at the on-ramps during both morning and evening peaks.

I-95 and US-1 (Richmond Highway)

I-95 passes through Alexandria's western edge, connecting the DC metro to Fredericksburg, Richmond, and points south. This corridor carries a mix of long-distance travelers and local commuters, with heavy congestion between Lorton/Fort Belvoir and the Mixing Bowl during rush hours.

US-1 (Richmond Highway) runs parallel to I-95 as a surface-street alternative, but it carries its own heavy traffic load through the Huntington, Belle View, and Mount Vernon areas. Commercial development along the corridor and access to the Huntington Metro station generate congestion independent of freeway conditions.

Key Routes and Corridors

Old Town Alexandria

Old Town's colonial-era street grid — many streets are one-way and just two lanes wide — presents a sharp contrast to the surrounding freeway network. Washington Street (the portion of US-1 through Old Town) carries heavy through traffic while simultaneously serving the dense restaurant, retail, and residential district. King Street between the Metro station and the waterfront draws tourist and local traffic, especially on weekends and evenings.

The waterfront area along the Potomac hosts restaurants, parks, and the Torpedo Factory Art Center, all generating parking demand that spills onto residential streets. Weekend and holiday traffic in Old Town can gridlock the entire district, with Washington Street and King Street as the primary bottlenecks.

Rush Hour Patterns

• Morning rush (6:00-9:30 AM): I-95 and I-395 northbound toward DC, I-495 eastbound across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Mixing Bowl interchange backs up in all directions. Duke Street and Van Dorn westbound carry local traffic to freeway on-ramps.
• Midday (10:00 AM-3:00 PM): Lightest freeway traffic. Old Town sees steady tourist and local traffic. Best window for Beltway travel through Alexandria.
• Evening rush (3:30-7:00 PM): I-95 and I-395 southbound from DC, I-495 westbound off the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Mixing Bowl at peak congestion from 4:30-6:30 PM. Duke Street and King Street eastbound carry commuters home to Old Town and the east side.
• Weekends: Old Town and waterfront draw recreational traffic. Freeway traffic lighter but Woodrow Wilson Bridge remains busy for regional shopping and travel.

Weather Impacts

Alexandria's Mid-Atlantic climate produces ice storms, occasional snow, and intense summer thunderstorms. The Potomac River corridor creates localized fog that reduces visibility on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and GW Parkway. Low-lying areas near Four Mile Run, Cameron Run, and Holmes Run are susceptible to flash flooding during heavy rain events, which can close underpasses and local roads.

Winter weather has an outsized impact on traffic because the federal government's liberal leave and early dismissal policies cause sudden mass departures. Even 1-2 inches of snow can gridlock the Mixing Bowl and Beltway approaches as hundreds of thousands of workers leave simultaneously. Bridge decks on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and I-395 overpasses freeze before road surfaces, creating early-morning hazards.

About the Platform

TrafficVision.Live provides free access to 400+ live traffic cameras throughout Alexandria and Northern Virginia. Our platform aggregates feeds from VDOT 511 systems, DDOT cameras, and regional transportation cameras, giving you comprehensive coverage of conditions across the area. These cameras are part of the world's largest traffic camera directory with 135,000+ live feeds from 600+ sources worldwide.

Whether you're navigating the Mixing Bowl, crossing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, commuting through Old Town, or heading to Fort Belvoir, our camera network provides real-time visibility into Alexandria's transportation infrastructure. View live feeds from I-495, I-395, I-95, US-1, Duke Street, King Street, and all major city arterials.

Our interactive map interface lets you quickly locate cameras near your route, while the grid view provides an organized way to browse all available feeds. Build custom routes to see all cameras along your commute, save favorites for instant access, and monitor multiple areas simultaneously.

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