495 Express Lanes Extension Delayed In Spite Of Celebratory Ribbon Cutting

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Transportation leaders joined federal, state and local elected officials in Tysons Friday morning to cut the ribbon on the $660 million 495 Express Lanes Extension. In spite of the fanfare, rain is pushing back the public opening of the 2.3 mile stretch of the Capital Beltway by one day.

"I am in awe of the orchestration of resources, capabilities, professionalism, and, most importantly, commitment to deliver on time that, as we have seen in this project," said Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) on Friday. "From the moment that this project started, I knew, because we asked a lot of questions, that it would be finished a little bit ahead of time. The idea that we can come together today and celebrate this extraordinary. Partnership is even more important."

The project, which is also know as 495 Next, broke ground in March 2022, as a public-private partnership between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Transurban North America. The transportation developer financed the project through a $105 billion low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of transportation's TIFIA program.

The 2.5 mile stretch of highway that makes up the 495 Next project area connects the existing 14-mile 495 Express lanes just north of Tysons, near the Dulles Toll Road/Dulles Access Road. From there, it extends to the George Washington Memorial Parkway prior to the American Legion Bridge into Maryland.

The Express Lanes are also expected to generate $2.2 million annually for transit. The Fairfax Connector’s Express Bus Service 798 launched in September 2024, linking Tysons to Bethesda, Maryland.

The service was made possible through $5.2 million in state funding to purchase buses. An additional $2 million from the 495 NEXT Transportation Management Plan allowed the service to operate while construction was still underway.

In addition to extending the Express Lanes, 495Next made other substantial improvements in and around the project area, including:

• New bridges with sidewalks across the Beltway at Live Oak Drive, Old Dominion Drive and Georgetown Pike
• Rehabilitation of four other bridges including the Lewinsville Road Bridge
• New, upgraded noise walls to protect nearby neighborhoods
• New stormwater management systems and environmental commitments to improve Scott’s Run Stream
• Four miles of new bicycle and pedestrian connections including a shared-use path parallel to I-495 from Lewinsville Road to near Live Oak Drive

"Everything of any order of magnitude of importance that has been done in the Commonwealth of Virginia over the last four years, or will be done, requires this kind of partnership, a partnership between not just government, but the private sector, state government, local government, federal government," Youngkin said. "Everyone comes together and pulls hard on this."

Rain To Delay Opening Of 495 Express Lanes Extension

Although the 495 Express Lanes Extension was scheduled to open on Saturday, Virginia Department of Transportation decided to reschedule the opening until Sunday morning due to the rain that was expected to pass through the area on Friday night.

All closures will be implemented listed below beginning at 8 p.m., Saturday night, into Nov. 22, into Sunday morning, Nov. 23.

The Extension’s entry and exit points will open on a rolling basis, and are projected to all be open by 6 a.m. on Sunday. The following entry and exit points will connect drivers with the 495 Express Lanes Extension:

• Entry from southbound I-495 general purpose-lanes (after crossing American Legion Bridge into Virginia)
• Exit to northbound I-495 general purpose-lanes (before crossing American Legion Bridge into Maryland)
• Entry to southbound 495 Express Lanes from northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway
• Exit from northbound 495 Express Lanes to southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway
• Entry from eastbound and westbound Dulles Toll Road to northbound 495 Express Lanes

Drivers will know an entry to the Extension is open when wayfinding signs are visible, toll pricing is active, and barriers are removed. Drivers should not attempt to access an entry that still appears closed or is in the process of opening.

Mobile and stationary closures on the I-495 general-purpose and express lanes and shoulders, as well as ramp closures and detours, will occur within the 495 NEXT project corridor during implementation of the Extension opening. Crews will be completing final details including updating on-road signage, final “tie-in” work, and opening of new connections. These closures and detours will occur beginning as early as 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22 to 6 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23.

The following information from VDOT describes what drivers can expect when they traverse the Extension this weekend:

On the I-495 general-purpose lanes from about 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22 until approximately 2 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23:

• Single left lane closure on southbound I-495 from George Washington Memorial Parkway to Lewinsville Road Bridge.
• Mobile lane closures on southbound I-495 from River Road in Maryland to George Washington Memorial Parkway.
• Single left lane closure on northbound I-495 from Route 7 to George Washington Memorial Parkway.

On the current 495 Express Lanes and entrance ramps from about 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 212until approximately 6 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23:

• Current northbound 495 Express Lanes closed beginning north of Route 7. All drivers will be detoured off northbound 495 Express Lanes to Route 7 exit
• Entry ramps to northbound 495 Express Lanes from Westpark Drive and Scotts Crossing Road closed
• Entry ramp to southbound 495 Express Lanes from Dulles Toll Road closed
• Current northernmost exit from 495 Express Lanes to northbound I-495 general-purpose lanes closed permanently
• Current northernmost entry from I-495 general-purpose lanes to southbound 495 Express Lanes closed permanently

On the Dulles Toll Road (Route 267) from about 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22 until approximately 6 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23:

• Ramp from eastbound Dulles Access Road to eastbound Dulles Toll Road closed
• Eastbound Dulles Toll Road ramp to northbound I-495 general- purpose lanes closed
• Multi-lane closure on eastbound Dulles Toll Road from near Route 7 to I-495
• Mobile lane closure on westbound Dulles Toll Road from near Kirby Road to I-495 until about 2 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23.

On the George Washington Memorial Parkway from about 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22 until approximately 2 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23:

• Mobile closures along the approach to northbound I-495.

Click here for a factsheet about navigating the 495 Express Lanes Extension.