I-395 Express Lanes Meetings Coming Up

The Virginia Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, will hold three public meetings on plans to extend the I-395 Northern Express Lanes for eight miles from Turkeycock Run near Edsall Road to Eads Street near the Pentagon. The draft Environmental Assessment also will be presented for public review and comment.

Each hearing is from 6:30-8:30 p.m., with a presentation at 7 p.m.

• Monday, Oct. 24: Wakefield High School, 1325 S. Dinwiddie St., Arlington, VA 22206
• Wednesday, Oct. 26: Francis C. Hammond Middle School, 4646 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304
• NEW DATE: Wednesday, Nov. 30: Bren Mar Park Elementary School, 6344 Beryl Road, Alexandria, VA 22312

The project's draft Environmental Assessment (EA), which will be presented at the hearings, is available on the VDOT website (www.virginiadot.org/395expresslanes) and at the following locations:

• VDOT Permitting Office: 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030
• Arlington Central Library (Virginia Room): 1015 N Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22201
• Arlington County Government Center: 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201
• Beatley Central Library: 5005 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22304

Here's more about the I-395 Express Lanes project, from expresslanes.com:

"Extending the 95 Express Lanes for eight miles north to the D.C. line, the 395 Express Lanes would significantly reduce congestion in the I-395 corridor, increase capacity by adding an additional HOV lane to make three reversible lanes on I-395 and extend the benefits and travel options of the 95 Express Lanes further north."

"The 395 Express Lanes would operate just like the 95 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia. Carpoolers and sluggers with three or more people in the vehicle would continue to travel for free with an E-ZPass® FlexSM set to HOV mode. Those willing to pay a toll would be able to access the Lanes 24/7 with an E-ZPass®.
The existing HOV entry and exit points on the current I-395 HOV lanes would become accessible for toll paying customers. However, the new Seminary Road ramp currently under construction would remain HOV use only and improvements would be made to Eads Street access point."

Other key 395 Express Lanes Extension project benefits include:

• Supporting jobs: Construction of the project could generate 1,500 jobs and more than half a billion dollars of economic activity. It could put as many as 100 Virginia small businesses to work as early as 2015
• Improved HOV service: The 395 Express Lanes would reduce HOV violations on the current I-395 HOV lanes and improve travel times for carpoolers and sluggers
• Generating guaranteed transit funding: The project will be designed to utilize a portion of toll revenues for guaranteed annual funding for transit, like improved bus service
• Enhanced Pentagon access: Improvements at the project's most northern section, including the Eads Street interchange, will be planned in conjunction with Arlington County and federal officials
• Improved travel in the regular lanes: The 395 Express Lanes would also provide improvements and timing savings to the regular lanes

Provide comments on the design plans or draft EA at the public meetings, or until close of business on Monday, Dec. 12, 2016. Email

395expresslanes@VDOT.Virginia.gov or mail to Ms. Amanda Baxter, Virginia Department of Transportation, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030.