July 10, 2014
About the Matthew Sonnen Eagle Project
Matthew Sonnen’s Eagle project got started with a simple idea – to beautify the Annandale area and provide a more welcoming environment to travelers. The result of Matthew’s hard work was a transformed, manicured roadside that provides a welcoming gateway into the Annandale community.
Eagle Scouts have the opportunity to complete a major service project that benefits their communities. Boy Scout Troop 1532 member, Matthew Sonnen, chose to improve his community by installing an “Annandale Welcomes You” sign and new landscape design to a grassy area next to Gallows Road that was overgrown with weeds and littered with trash.
“A key part of an Eagle project is that the Scout must do most of the planning, coordination and execution of the project independently,” says Tom Sonnen, Matthew’s father. “He met with the County to learn about their welcome signs, he met with sign contractors for design ideas…had meetings at the site with a VDOT landscape designer and met with VDOT traffic engineers.”
The Eagle project provided Matthew with a better understanding of coordinating and planning events, leadership and managing volunteer workers and a greater appreciation for the processes VDOT has in place for projects.
495 Express Lanes Grant Program Support
Over the course of five weekends, Matthew led a group of boy scouts from Boy Scout Troop 1532 and adult volunteers to clear the project site. Together these volunteers built a framework to support the sign, installed the landscaping, mulched the area and watered the new plants.
The grant funds provided by Transurban assisted with the welcome sign, materials needed for the volunteers and the landscaping of the project site. “Transurban, Supervisor Penny Gross’ office, VDOT and other staff members were fantastic in helping a teenager navigate the processes and make this vision a reality,” says Sonnen.
The 495 Express Lanes team chose to support the Matthew Sonnen Eagle project as it falls directly in the 495 Express Lanes project corridor – adjacent to the Capital Beltway at Gallows Road. Additionally, the rehabilitated median will beautify the area, benefit local citizens and businesses and showcase the Annandale community for many years.
Boy Scout Troop 1532 has agreed to provide annual upkeep of the site as an annual service project to maintain the area indefinitely for the Annandale community.
More Information
To learn more about Boy Scout Troop 1532, visit: http://www.scoutlander.com/publicsite/unithome.aspx?UID=27533
July 10, 2014
About Wakefield Run Stream Restoration Project
In order to prevent Wakefield Run streambeds and banks from further erosion and from sending sediment into Accotink Creek – a watershed in Fairfax County – the Fairfax County Park Foundation launched the Wakefield Run Stream Restoration Project.
The Wakefield Run Stream Restoration Project is part of an ongoing effort by the Fairfax County Park Foundation to improve the quality of the county’s surface waters and restore streams and stream valleys. As part of the restoration project, segments of Accotink Creek were graded, stabilized and planted in order to prevent further erosion. Completed in March 2014, the Wakefield Run Stream Restoration Project was the one of the first restorations in Accotink Creek.
“The Wakefield Run Stream Restoration Project provides safer and easier access to a remote area of the county during all seasons of the year,” says Margaret Thaxton, Director of Development for the Fairfax County Park Foundation. “The newly stabilized stream crossings are used by walkers, hikers, runners, mountain bikers and park and utility company service vehicles. More importantly – the improved water quality can be enjoyed by everyone in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”
The water quality benefits realized on a yearly basis by the Wakefield Run Stream Restoration Project include the removal of 40 pounds of phosphorous, 494 pounds of nitrogen and 76,000 pounds of suspended solids.
495 Express Lanes Grant Program Support
The grant funds provided by Transurban enabled the planting of native trees and vegetative cover in the project area. The plantings provided the project area with environmental sustainability, hill stabilization and an improved visual appearance for all stream valley users.
“The Wakefield Run Stream Restoration Project is another excellent example of how government agencies, local businesses, dedicated volunteers and corporations – like Transurban – can work together to accomplish something that individually would not have been possible,” says Thaxton.
Staff from the partnering agencies and organizations, as well as local residents, will continue to monitor the quality of Wakefield Run in order to keep the area visually appealing to all stream valley users.
More Information
To find out more about the Fairfax County Park Foundation and ways to get involved, visit http://www.fairfaxparkfoundation.org/. To learn more about the stream restoration, visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/streamrestore.htm.
June 9, 2014
Alexandria, Va. – The 495 Express Lanes announced today that new pavement markings with the E-ZPass logo have been added to six Express Lanes entry points. The pavement markings will help drivers understand the E-ZPass requirement and provide indication, as well as further confirmation, that drivers are in the correct turn lane to access the Express Lanes.
The on-road enhancements include seven purple pavement markings with the E-ZPass logo – six feet wide by eight feet tall – which have been installed at six Express Lanes entry points:
The E-ZPass pavement markings will be in the right and left lanes when approaching the entrance to the Express Lanes at the Lee Highway/Route 29 interchange. At other interchanges, the pavement markings will be in the left lane when approaching the entrance to the Express Lanes.
“The 495 Express Lanes continue to provide drivers with predictable travel times and valuable time savings,” said Nic Barr, vice president, operations, Transurban. “We are focused on making the Express Lanes even easier to use so drivers can spend less in traffic and more time where they’re going. The new pavement markings serve as another reminder that an E-ZPass is required to use the Express Lanes and will help drivers navigate their way onto the lanes.”
Before taking a trip on the 495 Express Lanes, drivers are reminded to:
For mapping tools, safety reminders and information on how to access and exit the 495 Express Lanes, visit 495ExpressLanes.com.
About the 495 Express Lanes
The 495 Express Lanes are high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes that operate on I-495/Capital Beltway to provide drivers faster and more predictable travel options on I-495. The two HOT lanes in each direction on the Virginia side of the Capital Beltway are from the Springfield Interchange to just north of the Dulles Toll Road (approximately 14 miles). Delivered through a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban-Fluor, the Express Lanes give drivers the freedom to control how and when they arrive at their destination. For more information, please visit 495ExpressLanes.com.
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March 3, 2014
November 20, 2013
Santa christened the 495 Express Lanes a year ago with a ride to get to his “office” that was mostly for show, but since then many Northern Virginians have made a faster, more reliable trip on the Capital Beltway a way of life.
The 495 Express Lanes opened a month early on November 17, 2012, introducing the biggest change to the region’s traffic patterns in more than 30 years and improving the traveling experience for everyone who uses the Capital Beltway. In its first year the 495 Express Lanes delivered on the promise of faster, more reliable trips; new options for carpools and bus riders; and enhanced incident response.
Please join us as we take a look back at the first year of operations on the 495 Express Lanes.
495 Express Lanes: The First Year
July 10, 2013
About LCNV
One of the great things about Northern Virginia is the diversity of its communities. People from many different places around the world come to live in this area. While diversity enriches our culture, it also brings the issue of language barriers for those who are not native English speakers. To help newcomers improve their English and more fully participate in family and civic life, the Literary Council of Northern Virginia (LCNV) offers basic literacy courses.
Founded by volunteers in 1962, LCNV is Virginia’s oldest community-based adult literacy nonprofit. Its mission is to teach adults the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking and understanding English in order to participate fully in their communities. The organization offers four literacy-based programs that teach basic English skills to students at different levels. There are 12 sites throughout Fairfax County and Alexandria City that offer one-on-one tutoring programs and group classroom programs based on students’ needs.
Students improve skills in language and literacy, which translates into family skills, self-sufficiency and job preparation. Last year, LCNV enrolled 1,496 low-income adults in its programs. LCNV programs focus on pre-literate adults and adults with learning deficiencies.
The Family Learning Program provides English literacy classes for families with children and low-income, immigrant parents in a collaborative classroom environment. Children participate in literacy-related activities while their parents learn English in a way that relates to their daily lives. The classes focus on family learning and encourage parental involvement.
“More than half of the adult learners at the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia are motivated to help their children in school,” said Patti Donnelly, Executive Director of the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia. “Helping adults develop basic literacy and language skills also influences the next generation. I would like to see the Family Learning Program continue to grow as the organization grows.”
495 Express Lanes Grant Support
The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia relies on the partnerships and support of local residents and businesses to help fund their much-needed programs. The Transurban-Fluor 495 Express Lanes Grant Program awarded a grant to the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia’s Family Learning Program located at Crestwood Elementary in Springfield. The program marked its 12th successful year of offering the literacy classes to adults in the area in 2013.
The 495 Express Lanes team chose to support LCNV’s Family Learning Program because of its dedication to enriching the lives of members of the community.
“Transurban-Fluor believes in supporting organizations that work to improve their communities,” said Kevin Ginnerty, Transurban’s Director of Project Delivery. “The Family Learning Program provides Northern Virginians with an opportunity to improve their English language skills in order to live more fulfilled lives. We are proud to support an organization that has a mission to improve the lives of the members of our community.”
More Information
To find out more about the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia and ways to get involved, visit www.lcnv.org. To stay informed about the latest LCNV news, please “like” their Facebook page.
September 1, 2013
Relief is on the way to help relieve one of the most congested areas on the Beltway.
The 495 Express Lanes have greatly improved travel in Northern Virginia, and in late 2014, drivers will be able to get to their destinations even faster with a new shoulder-use lane project.
The 495 Northbound Shoulder-use Lane Project will bring extra capacity and new benefits to all Beltway travelers by allowing traffic to travel on the left shoulder of northbound I-495 for a stretch spanning from the end of the 495 Express Lanes (near MD) to just past the George Washington Parkway Interchange – approximately 1.5 miles. The project will have no impact to nearby bridges and neighborhoods.
The additional lane will provide five travel lanes – open to all Beltway travelers – to help traffic merge from the end of the 495 Express Lanes to the regular Beltway during morning and afternoon peak travel times. Here are other benefits you can look forward to:
Construction of the $20 million project is scheduled to start in mid-2014. When open in late 2014, the lanes will be controlled by overhead signals.
The shoulder-use lane project will add extra capacity in a congested area of the Beltway and will improve your trip no matter how you travel.
For more information on the 495 Northbound Shoulder-use Lane Project construction, please view this press release.
June 24, 2013
Alexandria, Va. – 495 Express Lanes today announced that the speed limit on the 495 Express Lanes has increased to 65 miles per hour. The speed increase, effective today, will help Northern Virginia drivers save even more time when traveling on the Capital Beltway in Virginia.
“Since opening late last year, the 495 Express Lanes have provided drivers with a predictable travel option and with significant time savings,” said Michael Whelan, Vice President of Operations for Transurban. “The speed limit increase makes a great travel option better by providing an even faster option to drivers in Northern Virginia. Drivers, buses and carpoolers will get an even more predictable trip and getting to popular destinations such as Tysons Corner will be easier than ever before.”
While the speed limit on the 495 Express Lanes is now 65 mph, the speed limit on the mainline Beltway lanes will remain 55 mph. Drivers traveling on the Express Lanes will now see new regulatory on-road signs reflecting the speed increase on the left side of the roadway.
Before increasing the speed limit on the Express Lanes, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Express Lanes team completed extensive safety studies. Based on the results, VDOT determined that increasing the speed limit to 65 mph was safe, as it is proportional to the speeds on mainline 495 and allows for safe merging and lane changing.
Open for almost seven months, the Express Lanes are still a relatively new travel option in Northern Virginia and safety is top-of-mind. Before taking a trip in the Express Lanes, drivers should:
The 495 Express Lanes operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dynamic pricing based on real-time traffic conditions manages the demand for the lanes, keeping the Express Lanes moving. All drivers need an E-ZPass to use the Express Lanes – there are no toll booths or options to pay cash. Other drivers may pay a toll for a faster, more predictable trip.
Drivers with questions about the speed limit increase are encouraged to contact the Express Lanes Customer Service Center with questions.
About 495 Express Lanes
The 495 Express Lanes are new high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes that operate on I-495/Capital Beltway to provide drivers faster and more predictable travel options on I-495. The two new HOT lanes in each direction on the Virginia side of the Capital Beltway are from the Springfield Interchange to just north of the Dulles Toll Road (approximately 14 miles). Delivered through a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban-Fluor, the Express Lanes give drivers the freedom to control how and when they arrive at their destination. For more information, please visit 495ExpressLanes.com.
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May 20, 2013
The 495 Express Lanes is one of the most technologically advanced roadways in the United States. In April 2013, the project was awarded a “Best Innovative Product” award from the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) as part of the 2013 Best of ITS Awards. The project, delivered through a unique public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and Transurban, was recognized for its extensive use of intelligent transportation systems technologies.
Here’s a snapshot of the innovative technology that helped the Express Lanes win the “Best Innovative Product” award and that keeps the Express Lanes running, ensuring you have a smooth, predictable trip:
What does all this technology mean for drivers?
April 1, 2013
About the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership
It's no surprise that the university conceived by a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, who was also a former Virginia governor, a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress and an American founding father, aims to keep nurturing public servants in Virginia. The University of Virginia's Sorensen Institute of Political Leadership was founded in 1993 with a mission to strengthen the quality of all levels of government throughout Virginia.
The Sorensen Institute offers five programs designed for everyone from high school and college students to first-time political candidates and influential business and community leaders. The non-partisan institute does not take sides, endorse candidates or express opinions on issues or legislation. It strives to improve political leadership by bringing together diverse individuals with a passion for politics and public service.
To inspire and groom students for careers in public service, the institute offers two youth programs, one for college students and another for high school students. Both youth programs are residential and held during the summer at the University of Virginia. They feature Virginia-focused, multidisciplinary curriculum with three main goals:
495 Express Lanes Community Grant Support
Although housed at the University of Virginia, the Sorensen Institute is funded entirely on contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations. The economic downturn made it increasingly difficult for many families and young students to afford the two-week College Leaders Program.
A 495 Express Lanes grant allowed the Sorensen Institute to help students from the Beltway-corridor defray the cost to attend the College Leaders Program.
"Without the support of the 495 Express Lanes grant, some of the students we assisted with scholarship funds would have not been able to attend the program,” said Colleen Smith, deputy director at the Sorensen Institute. “Our classroom experience and diversity of participants would have suffered without the perspective of the students supported by the grant,” she said.
Students in the College Leaders Program enjoy learning from and networking with state and local leaders. The students also work in small groups to write, defend and lobby for legislation as part of the program.
The Commonwealth and its citizens also benefit from the students' participation – bills supporting grants for beekeepers, course credit for American Sign Language classes and updates to family life curriculum were crafted by Sorensen Institute students. The bills have since been approved by Virginia's General Assembly.
"We work regularly with our colleagues in the Virginia legislature and local government. Without the efforts and support of our elected officials, public-private partnerships like the 495 Express Lanes would never have been possible,” said Kevin Ginnerty, director of project delivery at Transurban. “Supporting the Sorensen Institute and their work to train the next generation of Virginia leadership was a great fit for our grant program."
More Information
To learn more about the University of Virginia's Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership and the programs available to soon-to-be or current public servants and community members of all ages, please visit www.sorenseninstitute.org. The Institute encourages individuals, corporations and foundations to help improve governance in Virginia and consider donating funds to help the Institute with its mission.