Capital Beltway Toll Lanes Extension Not Added To Regional Transportation Plan

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A proposal to extend Express Lanes on the Capital Beltway did not win key support from a regional board — at least for this year.

On Wednesday, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board voted to defer final consideration and not include the I-495 Southside Express Lanes project in Visualize 2050. The Visualize 2050 plan is the D.C. region's transportation plan detailing investments through 2050. Transportation projects must be in the plan to receive federal funding and approvals.

"This corridor across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge is of great regional and even national importance, and this vote is one that our members have taken very seriously," said Walter Alcorn, the Transportation Planning Board chair and a Fairfax County supervisor (D-Hunter Mill). "These decisions are not easy, and that’s why it’s important for the TPB to serve as a forum for regional deliberation and collaboration. I believe our action today shows that there is more work to be done on the project to achieve the regional agreement necessary to advance."

In 2024, the board had deferred inclusion of the Southside Express Lanes project in the Visualize 2050 plan. At that time, the board wanted the Virginia Department of Transportation to address concerns about the project. However, officials believe the project as it stands needs more work to get support from all affected localities.

The board encouraged VDOT and its Maryland counterpart to explore project options and get a consensus from localities on making improvements in the corridor.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has been studying the potential extension of Express Lanes on the Capital Beltway beyond the Springfield interchange in Fairfax County, across the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge, to the MD 210 interchange in Prince George's County, Maryland.

This would be the last place Express Lanes are added alongside the regular Capital Beltway lanes in Northern Virginia — once the 495 Northern Extension to near the American Legion Bridge opens in late 2025. The south side of the Capital Beltway experiences frequent congestion, particularly during rush hour times. Maryland does not have any Express Lanes on its section of the Capital Beltway.

There has not been overwhelming support from residents. Public comments submitted to VDOT have mentioned the need for transit options such as a Metrorail extension across the bridge, impacts of pollution and noise from additional travel lanes, and bottlenecks remaining on the Maryland side of the bridge. Metro has done an early study on long-term options include a Blue Line loop going across the Wilson Bridge to National Harbor.

The Transportation Planning Board's full Visualize 2050 plan will be adopted on Dec. 17. The draft transportation plan and air quality report will have a 30-day public comment from Oct. 23 to Nov. 21.