Express Lanes Extension Proposal Gets Town Hall In Route 1 Corridor

HYBLA VALLEY, VA — As a Capital Beltway Express Lanes extension is studied for the last remaining segment in Northern Virginia, residents can share their input with local leaders in Fairfax County's Richmond Highway corridor.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is considering an extension of the Interstate 495 Express Lanes from the Springfield interchange across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to Route 210 in Prince George's County, Maryland. The Richmond Highway corridor of Fairfax County would be impacted by the project, as there are Beltway exits to and from the corridor.

Three Richmond Highway corridor leaders — State Sen. Scott Surovell, Del. Paul Krizek and Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck — will host a town hall Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Sherwood Regional Library's community room, 2501 Sherwood Hall Ln., Alexandria, VA. Residents can provide input on the I-495 Southside Express Lanes project at the town hall.

Currently, drivers face congestion in this 11-mile section of the Capital Beltway, especially during afternoon travel times in the eastbound direction. In addition, travel times may be inconsistent due to frequent crashes in the corridor. The area being studied would be the last place in Northern Virginia where I-495 Express Lanes don't exist, as another Express Lanes extension is under construction between the Dulles Toll Road and George Washington Memorial Parkway.

The Woodrow Wilson Bridge, which fully opened in 2008, had been built with room for future transportation needs, including transit across the bridge. A transportation demand management study by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation found new bus services could benefit from extended Express Lanes. A rail extension was not found to be as cost-effective as bus for moving people through the corridor but that roadway improvements should not prevent future rail extensions. Metro is studying a Blue Line extension to National Harbor as one option in its Blue, Orange and Silver Line study.

SEE ALSO: Metrorail Consideration Sought For I-495 Express Lanes Extension Study

In September, VDOT revealed concepts with and without Express Lanes for the 11-mile section of the Beltway in the study. Each concept was evaluated on how it meets the project goals of continuing the Express Lanes system, providing more travel choices, reducing congestion, improving travel reliability, improving safety, and matching local and regional plans.

Express Lanes options studied were one or two non-toll lanes in each direction, one or two buffered Express Lane in each direction, and two reversible Express Lanes in the median.

The non-Express Lanes options studied were a no-build scenario, use of the shoulder lane during peak travel times, a transportation demand management system (ramp metering, extending acceleration and deceleration lanes, dynamic speed limits and queue warnings), a standalone transit lane, a transit approach with new bus routes and park-and-ride lots.

Public comments on the Express Lanes alternative concepts were accepted until Oct. 10. The next step for the project is the release of an environmental assessment detailing the environmental impacts of adding Express Lanes. An environmental assessment on the Express Lanes extension is expected to get a public hearing in summer 2024, and final federal approvals could come in late 2024.