Options For Capital Beltway Express Lanes Extension Revealed

ALEXANDRIA, VA — As a Capital Beltway Express Lanes extension is studied in the Alexandria area, potential roadway configurations with or without toll lanes are being evaluated.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has revealed potential concepts with or without Express Lanes for the southside of the Capital Beltway (Interstate 495) from the Springfield interchange across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to Route 210 in Prince George's County, Maryland. The Capital Beltway's Express Lanes currently end before the Springfield interchange. The area being studied would be the last place in Northern Virginia where Capital Beltway Express Lanes don't exist, as another Express Lanes extension is under construction between the Dulles Toll Road and George Washington Memorial Parkway.

The study is focusing on transportation improvements that would continue the Express Lanes system, reduce congestion, improve travel reliability, provide more travel options and improve safety. Currently, this section of the Capital Beltway is plagued by congestion, especially during afternoon travel times in the eastbound direction. In addition, travel times may be inconsistent due to frequent crashes in the corridor.

Similarly, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation already completed a transportation demand management study. The study 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. The Woodrow Wilson Bridge, which fully opened in 2008, had been built with room for future transportation needs, including transit across the bridge.

Roadway Concepts

VDOT's study has presented numerous transportation improvement concepts and evaluated how they meet goals for the roadway.

The first concept is a no-build scenario, which keeps the roadway with the same configuration with only maintenance.

The second is a transportation demand management system, which could introduce improvements like ramp metering, extending acceleration and deceleration lanes, dynamic speed limits and queue warnings. This concept would not meet the goals of Express Lanes continuity and travel choices but moderately helps with traffic congestion, travel reliability and safety.

The third concept involves use of the shoulder lane during peak travel times. This concept would not meet the goals of Express Lanes continuity and safety but moderately helps with traffic congestion, travel reliability and travel choices.

The fourth concept is a standalone transit lane, which would meet the travel choices goal and moderately help with traffic congestion and travel reliability but not help with Express Lanes continuity or safety.

The fifth concept is a transit approach with new bus routes and park-and-ride lots, which would meet the travel choices goal, moderately help with traffic congestion and travel reliability but not help with Express Lanes continuity or safety.

Other concepts involve adding lanes.

The sixth and seventh concepts would involve adding one or two non-toll lanes in each direction, respectively. These would help with goals of reducing congestion and improving travel reliability and safety but not with travel choices or Express Lanes continuity.

The eighth and ninth concepts would involve one or two buffered Express Lane in each direction. These concepts would meet all the goals expressed in the study.

The 10th concept would involve two reversible Express Lanes in the median. This concept would moderately meet all goals of the study.

VDOT will discuss the concepts for the roadway during upcoming meetings. Residents can provide public comments at the meetings, by email to 495southsideexpresslanes@VDOT.Virginia.gov, by mail to Nick Nies, AICP (VDOT Consultant) VDOT 495 Southside Express Lanes Study NEPA Project Manager 9030 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 220 Richmond, VA 23235 or by calling VDOT at 703-259-3752.

Here are the meetings:

• Virtual Meeting: Tuesday, Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (presentation starts at 6:30 p.m.): See virtual meeting details here.
• Wednesday, Sept. 13, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (presentation starts at 7 p.m.): Oxon Hill High School (Auditorium), 6701 Leyte Drive, Oxon Hill, MD 20745
• Tuesday, Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (presentation starts at 7 p.m.): Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center (Multi-purpose Room), 1108 Jefferson Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
• Wednesday, Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (presentation starts at 7 p.m.): John R. Lewis High School (Cafeteria), 6540 Franconia Road, Springfield, VA 22150