It seemed like the end of the world when DDOT announced that New York Avenue, the all-important route from the north and east to downtown, would be reduced by one-third for two years.

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But, thanks to the many warnings from news outlets and the District, the massive gridlock that was expected never came about, the Washington Post reports.

The ease of the New York Avenue commute comes with a price, however. Alternate routes have seen a drastic increase in congestion. Rhode Island Avenue has become a parking lot at the intersection of Florida Avenue.

The Post reported that INRIX, a traffic information provider, reported over a 20 percent decrease in speed on the thoroughfare. Meanwhile, average speeds on New York Avenue are up from the pre-construction 21 mph to 33 mph on Monday.

DDOT expects that the traffic on both arteries will normalize with changes in daily traffic commutes.

READ THE FULL STORY at the Washington Post.