MLG ENTERS AN ACTIVE RWY AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF IT.

Narrative

LNDG ON RWY 18 DCA; FO WAS FLYING. TWR ASKED US TO HOLD SHORT OR ROLL THROUGH INTXN OF RWY 21 FOR TFC FOR THAT RWY. I ADVISED WE WOULD ROLL THROUGH. TWR SAID TURN R AT TXWY A. MY REPLY WAS IF I COULD FIND IT (AS IT WAS VERY DARK AT THAT END OF THE RWY). I FOUND TXWY A AND STARTED TO CLR RWY 18. BEFORE I REALIZED HOW FAR I HAD GONE; MY NOSE WAS INTO RWY 21. THE MDT HAD TO GAR. THERE IS A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AT DCA AT THAT END OF THE FIELD. PLUS IT NEVER WAS VERY WELL LIT. THERE IS A NEED FOR WELL LIT HOLD SHORT AND RWY SIGNS AT THAT POINT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 245877: AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE TWR INSTRUCTED US TO TURN R ON TXWY A AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 21. I BELIEVE THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 21 ON TXWY A WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO THE TAXI AND RWY LIGHTS BEING RELATIVELY DIM COMPARED TO THE BRIGHT AMBER FLASHING CONSTRUCTION LIGHTS. ALSO; TXWY A IS VERY SHORT AND REQUIRES ALMOST AN IMMEDIATE STOP ONCE CLR OF RWY 18; SO AS TO NOT INTERSECT RWY 21. IT MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN HELPFUL IF THE TWR HAD ADVISED US OF THE IMMEDIATE STOP REQUIRED ONCE CLR OF RWY 18.