The concrete-column air shaft serves as ventilation for the I-395/Center Leg Freeway/Third Street tunnel, a project that got its start in 1955. The first portion of the project was built 1966-1973 and the second 1979-1982. The project was originally designed to connect all the major highways surrounding D.C., but ended up only connecting I-395 to New York Avenue (Route 50), leading to some of the lovely beach traffic entanglements we experience every summer.
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The artist is Val Lewton, 1992