Transurban Celebrates 5-Year Anniversary of 495 Express Lanes with $5,000 in Free Travel Giveaways, $10,000 Community Grant
November 17, 2017
WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2017 — Transurban, operator of the 495 and 95 Express Lanes, is celebrating the fifth anniversary of the 495 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia by launching a travel giveaway of $5,000 in free travel prizes and a special $10,000 community grant. The 495 Express Lanes have provided a broad range of benefits to the region over the past five years of operations, as well as faster and more predictable travel for buses, carpoolers and drivers. Since year one, the 495 Express Lanes have attracted many area commuters, supporting a four-fold increase in carpool trips and 75 percent increase in bus trips. Travelers on the 495 Express Lanes today enjoy on average 23 minutes of time savings during rush hour commute1, and drivers on the regular 495 lanes benefit as well — with northbound morning rush hour traffic travel times improving by 8 percent.
“Today we celebrate five years of helping our customers on the Beltway make it to a meeting on time, get home for dinner with family and travel to work without the anxiety that comes with hitting an unexpected traffic jam,” said Jennifer Aument, group general manager of Transurban North America. “Whether they pay tolls, ride in a bus or carpool, we value all our customers and look forward to working with our partners at VDOT to continually find new ways to provide them with a better Beltway in the years to come.”
Transurban commemorated the fifth anniversary of the 495 Express Lanes this morning at Tysons Corner Center with the help of Santa and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, Tysons Corner Station 29, which gave Santa a ride up the Express Lanes to celebrate the important transportation project milestone. Santa took one of the first rides on the 495 Express Lanes when they opened to the public in November 2012.
5 Years of Benefits for Drivers and the Community
Highlights of the broad range of benefits that the 495 Express Lanes project has provided to travelers and the entire community over the past five years include:
Regional benefits during construction:
- Generated $3.5 billion in economic activity.
- $2 billion in transportation improvements.
- $548.3 million in contracts to DBE/SWaM companies.
- Replacement of $260 million in aging infrastructure.
- 16,000 jobs.
Traveler benefits:
- Over the past five years, more area travelers have enjoyed the benefits of a faster, more reliable commute. The Lanes have served more than 3,500,000 customers taking more than 67,000,000 trips.
- 23 minutes is the average time savings on 495 Express Lanes during rush hour commute2.
- Travel times have improved by 8 percent on regular lanes during northbound morning rush hour.
- Eight out of 10 drivers in the D.C. region believe the Express Lanes network benefits the area.
- Five million hours of time were saved by 495 Express Lanes customers over the past five years.
Community benefits:
- $450,000 in community grants awarded by Transurban to D.C. area organizations.
- Supported community projects such as new bike racks, elementary school environmental programs, local neighborhood enhancements, homeless shelter programs and local park cleanups.
- Nearly $80,000 donated to local fire and rescue departments through the Drive to Donate program.
- Annual support of Bike to Work Day.
- Anti-distracted driving safety programs.
- Better transit service on the Beltway.
- Employee community volunteering programs.
‘A Better Beltway’ Giveaway
As a thank-you to customers, Transurban is giving away $50 of free Express Lanes travel to each of 100 lucky customers. Customers can register for a chance to win online at ExpressLanes.com/anniversary-contest starting November 17. The contest will run until December 1. Winners will be randomly chosen on Monday, December 4, and will be notified by email within two days. The $50 of free travel will be applied toward their future 495 and 95 Express Lanes trips.
495 Express Lanes 5th Anniversary Community Grant
Transurban will be announcing a special $10,000 community grant in honor of the project’s five-year milestone and community engagement. In honor of the partnership it took to deliver the 495 Express Lanes project, two or more community organizations will need to apply together for the grant and showcase how they will work together on a specific project or initiative. Applications will be open from December 1-January 31, with winning recipient(s) notified and announced in February. Application forms will be available on ExpressLanes.com starting December 1.
About the Express Lanes
The 495 and 95 Express Lanes operate on I-495/Capital Beltway and I-95, providing drivers with faster and more predictable travel options in Northern Virginia. Together, the 495 and 95 Express Lanes create a region-wide network of free-flowing lanes for approximately 40 miles, from the Dulles Toll Road to Stafford County. Delivered through a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban, the Express Lanes give drivers reliable travel choices on two of northern Virginia’s most congested roadways. For more information, please visit ExpressLanes.com.
About Transurban
Transurban is a pioneer of the public-private partnership (P3) managed lanes concept in the United States. Our North American business was among the pioneers of public-private partnerships for major transportation infrastructure in the Virginia region. Our Express Lanes network features industry-leading tolling and traffic management systems on more than 40 miles of managed lanes across the 495 and 95 Express Lanes. Transurban was one of the first to use a number of innovative financing and technology strategies in the development of major toll road projects.
Media contacts:
Mike McGurk, Transurban 571-421-5364, mmcgurk@transurban.com
Kristina Messner, Focused Image (for Transurban) 703-678-6023, kmessner@focusedimage.com
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495 Express Lanes 5 year anniversary
November 17, 2017
It has been 5 years since the greater D.C. area’s first tolled express lanes, the 495 Express Lanes, opened to drivers. Since then, the region has seen significant benefits – from an increase in economic activity to faster travel times to an investment in the greater community. Check out the infographic and 5 Year Anniversary Video for more information on the impact the 495 Express Lanes have had in the region.
95 Express Lanes Offer Tips for Thanksgiving Travel
November 16, 2017
Tysons, Va. – The 95 Express Lanes expect a substantial increase in traffic for the Thanksgiving holiday. Last year, between Tuesday, November 22 and Sunday, November 27, customers took more than 223,000 trips on the 95 Express Lanes. On average, customers saved 27 minutes in travel time by choosing the Express Lanes, with some drivers saving more than one hour.
The busiest getaway travel times on the regular I-95 lanes and the 95 Express Lanes before Thanksgiving weekend in 2016 were Tuesday between 3 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday between 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
To help customers with their travel, roadway information is provided using overhead signs and is available through the free Express Lanes mobile application, which provides real-time access to toll prices and traffic cameras.
A new 2-mile southern extension on the 95 Express Lanes in Stafford County opened to traffic on October 31, 2017. Drivers planning to travel on the southern portion of the 95 Express Lanes are advised to be aware of new travel patterns in this area. Travelers are also reminded to pay close attention to pricing and advisory signs, as significant congestion on the regular lanes can lead to delays at the southern end of the Express Lanes.
Travel tips:
- The busiest getaway travel times before Thanksgiving weekend in 2016 were Tuesday between 3 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday between 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Those periods are again expected to have the heaviest travel volumes.
- Last year, drivers saved as much as 50 percent off tolls by avoiding travel during the afternoon and evening portions of the getaway, when demand on the Express Lanes is at its highest and the dynamic tolls increase to manage traffic on the Lanes.
Reminders for you and visiting family:
- E-ZPass® is required to use the 495 and 95 Express Lanes.
- An E-ZPass issued from out-of-state will work on the Express Lanes.
- Vehicles with at least three people, including the driver, are reminded to travel with an E-ZPass® FlexSM in HOV mode for a toll-free trip.
- If family and friends visiting from out-of-town accidently travel on the Express Lanes without an E-ZPass, they can visit ExpressLanes.com/missed-a-toll to pay for trips within five days of travel, or contact the customer service center at 1-855-497-9777.
The 95 Express Lanes reversal schedule will be adjusted to help accommodate travelers. Here’s what drivers can expect:
- Wednesday, November 22 – Close northbound one earlier at about 10 a.m. and open southbound by about noon.
- Thursday, November 23 – Close southbound at about midnight and open northbound by about 2 a.m. Northbound all day.
- Friday, November 24 – Close northbound at about 11 a.m. and open southbound at about 1 p.m.
- Saturday, November 25 – Close southbound at about 2 p.m. and open northbound at about 4 p.m.
- Sunday, November 26 – Northbound all day.
- Monday, November 27 – Close northbound at about 11 a.m. and open southbound at about 1 p.m.
About the Express Lanes
The 495 and 95 Express Lanes operate on I-495/Capital Beltway and I-95 providing drivers with faster and more predictable travel options in Northern Virginia. Together the 495 and 95 Express Lanes create a region-wide network of free-flowing lanes for nearly 40 miles from the Dulles Toll Road to Stafford County. Delivered through a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban, the Express Lanes give drivers reliable travel choices on two of northern Virginia’s most congested roadways. For more information, please visit ExpressLanes.com.
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Express Lanes Announce Winner of “Go the Billionth Mile” Contest
November 1, 2017
Alexandria, Va. – Today Transurban, operator of the 495 and 95 Express Lanes, announced that Tammie B. of Alexandria, Virginia is the winner of the “Go the Billionth Mile” contest and will receive one year of toll-free travel on the 495 and 95 Express Lanes. The contest was held in September 2017 to celebrate the milestone of one billion miles traveled since the Lanes first opened in November 2012 and gave a lucky customer a chance to win the free-travel prize.
“I’m really ecstatic that I have this opportunity for a free year of commuting on the Express Lanes, it means so much to me,” said Tammie. “The Lanes provide me 20 more minutes of sanity and 20 less minutes of aggravation to have to deal with,” she added.
Tammie B. has lived in Virginia for 30 years and works at a trade association in Washington, D.C., commuting from her home in the Kingstowne area of Alexandria.
Her typical trip on the Express Lanes takes her from the Springfield Parkway to regular lanes on I-395 near Duke Street.
Tammie enjoys comedy and horror films as well as touring Virginia wineries and local museums.
Content featuring Tammie will be featured on the Express Lanes website and social media channels to help educate new customers.
About the Express Lanes
The 495 and 95 Express Lanes operate on I-495/Capital Beltway and I-95 providing drivers with faster and more predictable travel options in Northern Virginia. Together, the 495 and 95 Express Lanes create a region-wide network of free-flowing lanes for nearly 40 miles from the Dulles Toll Road to Stafford County. Delivered through a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban, the Express Lanes give drivers reliable travel choices on two of northern Virginia’s most congested roadways. For more information, please visit ExpressLanes.com.
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I-95 Express Lanes Southern Terminus Extension in Stafford County Opening Tuesday, Oct. 31
October 23, 2017
FREDERICKSBURG – A project to extend Interstate 95 Express Lanes by two miles in Stafford County, adding new northbound and southbound ramps, will open to traffic ahead of schedule on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017. The $50 million project extends Express Lanes beyond the flyover ramp where they end today, just north of Route 610 (Garrisonville Road). The new southbound ramp will open to traffic on the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 31. The new northbound ramp will open early Wednesday, Nov. 1.
What Drivers Need to Know
The extension will operate under the same rules and reversal schedule as the current 95 Express Lanes.When the extension opens, I-95 northbound traffic will be able to enter Express Lanes earlier at a new left entrance before the Garrisonville Road overpass.Southbound Express Lanes traffic heading to Fredericksburg will be able to continue past Garrisonville and merge about one mile south of the Garrisonville Road exit.All drivers need an E-ZPass to use the Express Lanes. Carpools need an E-ZPass Flex and three or more people in the vehicle to travel toll-free.
Project Background
Construction on the extension began in July 2016. The project’s design-build team is Branch Civil, Inc., and Whitman, Requardt & Associates. The project is a joint investment by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Transurban. Transurban operates the existing 29-mile Express Lanes facility that opened in December 2014, and will be responsible for maintenance and operations of the two-mile extension. Around 146,000 vehicles a day travel I-95 near Garrisonville Road.
More information on the I-95 Express Lanes Southern Terminus Extension project is available online at the project page at www.VirginiaDOT.org.
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Express Lanes Launch Campaign to Award One Year of Free Travel
September 8, 2017
Alexandria, Va. – Today Transurban, operator of the 495 and 95 Express Lanes, announced the launch of its “Go the Billionth Mile” contest. Between September 8 and September 23, Transurban anticipates that someone will drive the billionth mile on the Express Lanes*. To celebrate this milestone, Transurban is awarding a lucky winner one full year of free travel on the 495 and 95 Express Lanes**.
“It’s a pleasure to have provided our customers time savings for nearly one billion miles of travel as we approach the five-year anniversary of the 495 Express Lanes,” said Leigh Petschel, Vice President of Operations, Transurban. “We are excited to thank a lucky driver with a year of free travel, and we encourage our customers to travel safely this September for a chance to win.”
To be eligible:
- Customers must be a licensed driver over the age of 18
- Customers must have a valid Virginia E-ZPass®
- Customers must be legal residents of the United States residing in Virginia, Maryland, or the District of Columbia
- Customers must have driven on the Express Lanes at least ten times between September 23, 2016 and September 23, 2017
How will it work:
- No registration is necessary
- Transurban will send the winning E-ZPass® number to Virginia E-ZPass®
- Virginia E-ZPass® will contact the winner and provide them with a point of contact at Transurban to claim their prize
- All eligible customers should be on the lookout for an email or phone call from Virginia E-ZPass® this September
For the best chance to win, customers are encouraged to travel on the Express Lanes each day during the two-week period. For more information and a full list of rules please visit: www.ExpressLanes.com/Billion
*Please note, the contest has been updated to include both 95 and 495 Express Lanes
**Maximum amount of $5,000.00 of free travel
About the Express Lanes
The 495 and 95 Express Lanes operate on I-495/Capital Beltway and I-95 providing drivers with faster and more predictable travel options in Northern Virginia. Together, the 495 and 95 Express Lanes create a region-wide network of free-flowing lanes for nearly 40 miles from the Dulles Toll Road to Stafford County. Delivered through a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban, the Express Lanes give drivers reliable travel choices on two of northern Virginia’s most congested roadways. For more information, please visit ExpressLanes.com.
Express Lanes Prepare for Heavy Travel over Labor Day Weekend
August 29, 2017
Alexandria, Va. – The 95 Express Lanes expect to handle a substantial increase in traffic later this week, as drivers head out of town to enjoy the tail end of summer. Last year, customers took 228,910 trips on the 95 Express Lanes leading up to and during Labor Day weekend. Customers saved about 30 minutes in travel time on an average trip. The busiest getaway travel times on the regular I-95 lanes and the 95 Express Lanes before Labor Day weekend in 2016 were Wednesday between 4 to 7 p.m. and Thursday between 2 to 6 p.m.
According to a May 2017 survey of 1,700 Washington D.C. area drivers, 40 percent of weekly toll-paying 95 Express Lanes customers use the Lanes for vacation travel. As such, drivers traveling along the 95 Express Lanes corridor over Labor Day weekend should prepare for heavy traffic volumes. Although this increased demand may result in higher-than-average toll prices during peak periods, customers, on average, spend more on a single tank of gas than they do in tolls on the Lanes throughout an entire month.
To help customers with their travel, roadway information is provided using overhead signs and through the free Express Lanes mobile application, which provides real-time access to toll prices and traffic cameras.
Travelers are advised to pay close attention to pricing and advisory signs, as significant congestion on the regular lanes can lead to delays on the southern end of the 95 Express Lanes in Stafford County. The southern extension to the 95 Express Lanes is on schedule to open by the end of this year which will help improve congestion in this area. The new northbound entry point will open by summer 2018.
When to start your trip:
- The busiest getaway travel times on the regular I-95 lanes and the 95 Express Lanes before Labor Day weekend in 2016 were Wednesday between 4 to 7 p.m. and Thursday between 2 to 6 p.m. Those periods are expected to again face the heaviest travel volumes.
- To avoid higher-than-average tolls and peak traffic, drivers should avoid traveling during Wednesday and Thursday afternoon and evening.
While on the road:
- An advisory sign before the Quantico/Joplin Road exit will alert customers to any delays ahead on the southbound 95 Express Lanes.
- Customers have the option to exit the Lanes at Joplin Road or continue to the end of the 95 Express Lanes near Garrisonville Road.
- If delays increase, signage before the Joplin Road exit will advise customers to exit to the regular lanes.
- Express Assist crews will respond to customers in disabled vehicles on the Lanes.
- Customers riding with at least two passengers in the vehicle are reminded to travel with E-ZPass® FlexSM in HOV mode for a toll-free trip.
The 95 Express Lanes reversal schedule will be adjusted on Labor Day for holiday getaway traffic. Beginning Tuesday, September 5, the start of the weekday morning reversal will shift from 10 a.m. back to 11 a.m. Here’s what drivers can expect:
- Thursday, August 31: Southbound reversal begins at 10 a.m.
- Friday, September 1: Southbound reversal begins at 10 a.m.
- Saturday, September 2: Lanes reverse to northbound at 2 p.m.
- Sunday, September 3: Lanes remain northbound
- Monday, September 4: Express Lanes remain northbound all day
- Tuesday, September 5: End of early summer reversal – southbound reversal now begins at 11 a.m.
About the Express Lanes
The 495 and 95 Express Lanes operate on I-495/Capital Beltway and I-95 providing drivers with faster and more predictable travel options in Northern Virginia. Together the 495 and 95 Express Lanes create a region-wide network of free-flowing lanes for nearly 40 miles from the Dulles Toll Road to Stafford County. Delivered through a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban, the Express Lanes give drivers reliable travel choices on two of northern Virginia’s most congested roadways. For more information, please visit ExpressLanes.com.
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Summer 2017 Update
August 15, 2017
Federal Highway Administration, Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban Launch Partnership to Test Connected and Autonomous Vehicles on Transurban’s Express Lanes Network
July 21, 2017
Alexandria, Va. – Authorization to begin testing connected vehicles and vehicle automation technologies on the 495 and 95 Express Lanes was approved earlier this week by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. The Commissioner of Highways agreed to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and Transurban, the operator of the 495 and 95 Express Lanes, to study how connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) may improve safety and mobility. The program will enable the partnership to perform research, and develop and trial demonstration tests on the Express Lanes to examine real-world applications for the developing technologies. Program development is scheduled to begin later this month with on-road tests beginning as soon as summer 2018.
“As the pioneers of automated vehicle-to-roadway technologies, we are positioned to continue to lead the way in breakthrough research and conduct new testing that has the potential to drastically change the way we approach travel on the highways,” Acting Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Walter “Butch” Waidelich said. “Ultimately, it’s about benefiting America’s drivers by keeping them safe and easing their travels out on the road.”
“This is a new era for the Virginia Department of Transportation,” said Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne. “We must do all we can to embrace the roadway needs of rapidly evolving automotive technology. This partnership will help answer critical questions as transportation agencies consider approaches to handling the current technology alterations and disruptions occurring with the transition to CAV.”
“As a long-term partner to Virginia and the Federal Highway Administration, Transurban is committed to improving the transportation network in the Greater Washington area,” said Leigh Petschel, Vice President of Operations, Transurban. “We look forward to safely trialing this technology on the Express Lanes while helping Virginia maintain its position as a leader in supporting innovative transportation solutions.”
The program partners will test electronics, information processing and communications technology to better understand the practical application of connected and autonomous vehicles in a real-world environment, with the ultimate goal to increase efficiency across road networks. The research will test:
· cooperative adaptive cruise control, that allows automated vehicles to safely follow each other in closer proximity;
· technology to seamlessly enable automated lane changing and merging into traffic; and
· speed harmonization, including direct vehicle interaction
The Express Lanes provide an ideal testing ground for CAVs because the roadway and lane markings are well maintained, there is minimal debris on the pavement and full camera coverage is available at the dedicated Express Lanes operations center.
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New updates to Express Lanes mobile app
May 25, 2017
- Plan your trip with end-to-end navigation
- See real-time toll prices
- View live traffic cameras before you get on the road
- Pay toll invoices or missed tolls on the go
- Sign up for missed toll alerts, via SMS, email and push notifications
- Find entries and exits along your preferred route
Download the free app today from the Apple App Store® or the Google Play Store®.