Virginia and Transurban spend $1bn on infrastructure to improve congestion

The US state of Virginia and road operator Transurban are investing more than $1 billion in four projects to help tackle congestion on the I-495 and I-95. The partners want to establish a 90-mile network of connected Express Lanes throughout Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg by 2022. Virginia Department of Transportation (VDoT) and Transurban have signed an agreement for the first project, Capital Beltway Express Lanes Northern Extension. The new 2.5-mile area will offer four general purpose lanes and
January 31, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

The US state of Virginia and road operator 600 Transurban are investing more than $1 billion in four projects to help tackle congestion on the I-495 and I-95.

The partners want to establish a 90-mile network of connected 8217 Express Lanes throughout Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg by 2022.

1747 Virginia Department of Transportation (VDoT) and Transurban have signed an agreement for the first project, Capital Beltway Express Lanes Northern Extension. The new 2.5-mile area will offer four general purpose lanes and two new 8217 Express Lanes in each direction from the current terminus near the Dulles Access Road to the American Legion Bridge. The network will be extended to the Maryland border to address bottlenecks in the region and reduce cut-through traffic in local McLean neighbourhoods.

Additionally, a reversible ramp connecting the existing I-95 Express Lanes at Optiz Boulevard is expected to provide better access to Potomac Mills and Sentara Virginia Medical Centre. It will also allow drivers to exit directly onto Optiz Boulevard.

A new southbound auxiliary lane is to be built on I-95 in Woodbridge to address the traffic bottleneck at the Occoquan Bridge. This lane will connect the southbound Route 123 ramp onto I-95 with the off-ramp at Westbound Prince Willian Parkway.

Scott Surovell, member of the Virginia Senate, says: “The Occoquan bottleneck is the worst traffic problem in Virginia and has been one of my top priorities since I was elected to represent Prince William County in 2015.”

The fourth project is a 10-mile extension of the 95 Express Lanes to Fredericksburg.

VDoT is also developing environmental studies to support the projects.

Virginia is also taking steps to bolster its commercial vehicle enforcement systems. Earlier this month, 69 International Road Dynamics won a $4.2 million %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external contract false http://www.itsinternational.com/categories/utc/news/ird-to-maintain-commercial-vehicle-enforcement-systems-in-virginia/ false false%> to use weigh-in-motion technology to help maintain 11 mainline and ramp systems owned by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

UTC

Related Content

  • January 22, 2019
    IRD to maintain commercial vehicle enforcement systems in Virginia
    International Road Dynamics (IRD) is to use weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology to help maintain commercial vehicle enforcement solutions in the commonwealth of Virginia, US, over a two-year period. The scope of the $4.2 million maintenance and support contract also includes the deployment of IRD’s road side and in-station electronics and computer systems. The company will also use automated vehicle identification equipment, variable message signs, vehicle tracking systems, overview cameras, vehicle dimensio
    Read More
  • April 22, 2013
    Open Roads updates Alaska’s 511 website and wins Virginia contract
    Open Roads and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) have introduced a new version of the 511 Traveler Information Website
    Read More
  • August 8, 2012
    Construction begins on $1 billion I-95 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia
    Surrounded by elected officials, transportation engineers, and dignitaries, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell held a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday to begin construction of the I-95 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia. The project will build 29 miles (46.7kms) of express lanes on I-95 from Garrisonville Road in Stafford County to Edsall Road in Fairfax County, and will connect the I-95 Express Lanes to the I-495 Express Lanes currently under construction to provide a seamless network of new lanes to reduce
    Read More
  • May 21, 2012
    Transdyn unveils new TMS
    Transdyn, Inc. has recently designed, built and installed a Traffic Management System (TMS) for Transurban’s I-495 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia. The project included the addition of four new lanes on the Virginia side of the Capital Beltway and replacing $260 million-worth of ageing infrastructure. When it opens later this year, it will be one of the most technologically advanced roadways in the world and will provide faster, more predictable travel times to users.
    Read More

Highlighted Content