the Beltway
Regional
- Meaning
- DC-area shorthand for I-495, the highway ringing Washington.
- Type
- Regionalism
- Used in
- Washington, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia
What does “the Beltway” mean
The 64-mile loop of Interstate 495 that encircles Washington, DC and its inner suburbs. Locals also describe lanes as Inner Loop (clockwise) or Outer Loop (counterclockwise), and the phrase 'inside the Beltway' is national shorthand for the federal political bubble. Saying 'take the Beltway' without further qualification only works in the DMV.
Where it's used
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