I-395 Seminary Road Ramp Conversion In Alexandria OKed By VA Board

ALEXANDRIA, VA — On Wednesday, Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the conversion of the Interstate 395 Seminary Road ramp from high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) to high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane.

The project applies to the south-facing ramp from Seminary Road onto I-395 Express Lanes. The change was sought by Transurban, the private operator of the 395, 395 and 95 Express Lanes. Transurban opened the I-395 Express Lanes in November 2019 from near Edsall Road to the DC line, connecting to where the I-95 Express Lanes end.

When the Express Lanes opened, the ramp had remained HOV-3. Under the HOV designation, buses and carpooling vehicles with three or more people can use the ramp to the Express Lanes. When it is converted to an HOT ramp, vehicles with less than three people can use it by paying a toll. Vehicles can avoid the toll by having three people in the vehicle and an EZ Pass Flex set to HOV mode.

The I-395 Express Lanes are reversible, as are the ramps from Seminary Road. The Express Lanes are typically northbound in the morning and southbound in the afternoon.

The Virginia Department of Transportation presented the project to the board after holding a virtual meeting to collect input on Dec. 6. According to Transurban, operational conversion of the ramp is expected later in 2022.