Transportation Veteran Beau Memory Appointed President of Transurban North America
December 11, 2023
In November 2023, Beau Memory joined Transurban as President, North America. He comes to the operator of the 95, 395, and 495 Express Lanes in Virginia, United States and the A25 bridge in Montréal, Québec from the E-470 Public Highway Authority in Denver, Colorado, where he served as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer.
“Beau brings a deep understanding of toll roads, the broader transport industry, strategy development and public policy,” said Michelle Jablko, CEO of Transurban. “He has experience working with a variety of stakeholders including federal and state legislators and various communities to deliver complex major projects and innovations that benefit customers.”
As Executive Director and CEO at E-470, Mr. Memory had oversight of the authority’s operations, financial management and project delivery – including the establishment of a new in-lane toll system. He has also worked across the public and private sector including at the North Carolina Department of Transportation and at SAS.
“There is a generational opportunity to invest in and modernize North America’s transportation systems to keep its growing communities and economies moving ahead,” said Beau Memory, President, Transurban North America. “To achieve this, we will need private sector funding and innovation to accelerate public investment. I am excited to join Transurban – a proven partner to government – to deliver these transportation systems of tomorrow.”
Mr. Memory comes to Transurban North America at a pivotal time of growth as its Greater Washington Area Express Lanes—the largest managed lanes system in the nation closes out a decade of operations with 4.5x growth in miles and more than 10 million customers. Most recently, the private partner of Virginia, delivered a 10-mile extension of its I-95 Express Lanes with an additional 2.5 miles anticipated to open in 2025 on the 495 Express Lanes.
These projects will help reduce congestion and accelerate the more than 33 million hours of time saved already across Transurban’s Express Lanes. With projected population growth of 16% over the next twenty years in the Greater Washington Area, coupled with expansion and relocation of global employers such as Amazon, Boeing, and Raytheon, the region’s need for expanded transportation choices like Express Lanes will only grow.
In Montréal, Transurban recently welcomed CDPQ into its investment in the A25 toll road and bridge, bringing local expertise and opportunity for market growth.
Additionally, Transurban is at the forefront of transportation innovation – helping governments transition safely to a connected and automated future, as well as more sustainable infrastructure funding streams. Mr. Memory’s extensive public and private sector leadership will serve to advance Transurban’s position as a leader at the intersection of transportation and technology.
About Transurban
As one of the world’s leading toll-road operators, Transurban’s business is about getting people where they want to go as quickly and safely as possible. Today we have 22 toll roads across North America and Australia, with another four major projects underway that will offer major improvements in the way drivers move around our cities. We recently expanded into Québec with the acquisition of the A25, a 4.5-mile toll road and bridge in Montréal. In the U.S. we are operating and developing a growing 65-mile network of Express Lanes on 495, 95 and 395 that have been among the first in the nation to use real-time pricing to keep Virginia drivers moving. With 10.3 million customers, we are saving drivers 413,000 a day with faster, more predictable travel options.
Transurban Invests in Fredericksburg Community with Grant Contribution to Virginia Infrastructure Academy
December 4, 2023
Transurban North America, operator of the 95, 395, and 495 Express Lanes, celebrated the imminent completion of the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension with a $250,000 grant to the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) to support the Virginia Infrastructure Academy (VIA) at Germanna Community College.
Joined by the VFCCE, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), elected officials, and community members, Transurban presented the contribution that will go toward VIA’s mission to train individuals, including our military veterans, for careers in infrastructure.
“We at Transurban are thrilled to be part of delivering the modern infrastructure needed to keep Virginia going—helping maintain our status as a top state for business. But we can’t do it alone,” said Amanda Baxter, Senior Vice President of Virginia Market and Operations, Transurban North America. “Virginia Infrastructure Academy trains the workers we need to design, build, and operate the essential infrastructure that keeps our communities running—connecting military veterans with the jobs of the future. We’re proud to continue the Academy’s mission with a $250,000 grant today.”
In coordinating existing infrastructure training across the Commonwealth, VIA offers short-term industry training and credentials leading to employment for thousands of Virginians—building long-term career development and overall economic growth. Virginia companies are currently trying to fill more than 260,000 jobs, fueled by record-low unemployment and a shrinking workforce.
“Bringing together industry partners has been key to providing students with a direct pipeline to high-wage careers and has helped our businesses build a pipeline of trained talent to support their workforce,” said Dr. David Doré, Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System. “Transurban’s leadership investment will serve as a testament to the power and impact that businesses, colleges, and students can have by working together to grow Virginia’s economy.”
With the goal of filling 35,000 infrastructure jobs in the next five years, the partnership between Transurban, VFCCE, and industry leaders funds efforts to connect military veterans with employment coaches, networking events, and employer recruiters. Upon graduation from one of Virginia’s 23 community colleges, VIA alumni achieve an average of a 55% pay increase when they enter the workforce.
“In my career at the intersection of infrastructure and education, I know that Transurban’s investment will significantly further the Virginia Infrastructure Academy’s goal of supporting our graduates and by extension, our communities,” said Ed Dalrymple, Jr., who serves on a variety of boards including the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education and the Germanna Community College Education Foundation. “I look forward to seeing the VIA continue to flourish, putting people to work to build Virginia’s future.”
Transurban’s contribution to VIA rounds out to over $500,000 in community grants throughout Fredericksburg and Stafford County, supporting more than 80 nonprofit organizations committed to community strength, environmental sustainability, and improved safety.
How the Express Lanes help Connected and Autonomous Vehicles
December 2, 2023
As the operator of the Express Lanes, Transurban partners with Virginia to keep the region safe and on the move. That means always having an eye on the next advances in transportation and traveler safety.
Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV)s are that next advance. As partners to the public sector, we want to help make CAVs as safe as possible. And our Express Lanes – which can give CAVs immense amounts of data through the sensors, cameras, and other technologies that already keep the Lanes safe every day – can also help CAVs anticipate what is happening miles down the road.
We are proud to partner with the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, and the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partners (CAMP) to use our 395 Express Lanes to show how much value data can bring to CAV development. The latest demonstrations, in October and November 2023, showed how CAVs can use data from the Express Lanes to give passengers a smoother, safer ride.
Here’s how Transurban’s Express Lanes empower CAVs:
I-95 Traffic Impacts on Dec. 7 & 8
December 4, 2023
On December 7 and 8, 2023, several changes to the 95 Express Lanes will be implemented as the Fredericksburg Extension’s final access points open and the existing ramp from the I-95 general purpose lanes to the Express Lanes near Opitz Boulevard is permanently closed and a new ramp is opened just south near Dale Boulevard.
At or about 10 p.m. on December 7, the remaining access points to the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension will open southbound and reopen northbound on the normal reversal schedule—in time for morning rush hour on December 8.
The access points include:
- Reversible ramp at Courthouse Road/Route 630, with access from the Courthouse Road Park and Ride lot
- Northbound exit to and southbound entrance from I-95 near Russell Road by Marine Corps Base Quantico
- Northbound entrance access from the I-95 local lanes near Fredericksburg, providing access to the Lanes for drivers entering I-95 from Route 3/Route 17
Travelers should also expect closures that will enable the permanent closure of the existing Opitz Boulevard ramp from the I-95 general purpose lanes to the Express Lanes, and the opening of a new ramp just south near Dale Boulevard. At or about 10 p.m. on December 7 until about 5 a.m. on December 8, the I-95 general purpose lanes will experience a double left lane closure from about mile marker 155 to mile marker 157. Between midnight and 3 a.m. on December 8, travelers can expect up to five intermittent full closures lasting about 15 minutes each.
Drivers on the southbound general-purpose lanes who wish to enter the Express Lanes between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. are encouraged to use the access point just north near Route 1 in Occoquan.
Extended reversal overnight Dec. 1 to Dec. 2
November 28, 2023
95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension to Open Final Access Points
November 27, 2023
STAFFORD, Va.: Transurban North America, operator of the 95, 395, and 495 Express Lanes, announced today the final access points of the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension will open at 10 p.m. on December 7, 2023, ready for northbound rush hour the morning of December 8, 2023. Completion of the extension creates the longest reversible facility in the nation, with additional access and capacity improvements for the corridor underway.
Regional travelers will have new access to the 95 Express Lanes via a reversible ramp from Courthouse Road/Route 630 in Stafford County, and a northbound exit from and southbound entrance to I-95 general purpose lanes near Marine Corps Base Quantico. Access will also be available at the southern terminus for northbound traffic entering from Route 3 and Route 17.
“All of us at Transurban are thrilled to complete the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension, bringing the full benefits of the Express Lanes to even more residents of Stafford County, Fredericksburg, and the surrounding region,” said Amanda Baxter, Senior Vice President of Virginia Market and Operations, Transurban North America. “With direct access for 28,000 workers to Quantico, quick routes to growing regional commercial and residential hubs, and $1 billion in economic impact, the Fredericksburg Extension connects our communities to faster, more reliable travel along the Main Street of the East Coast.”
Since the 10-mile Extension opened for end-to-end travel on August 17, 2023, the roadway has enabled over 750,000 trips as of November 1—more than 16% riding for free by taking advantage of HOV-3+ toll exemption. Evening rush hour travelers can save about 35 minutes on average by taking the Express Lanes from Washington, DC to Fredericksburg, VA. Travelers in the general-purpose lanes for the same trip are saving about 20 minutes on average thanks to the increased capacity and reduced congestion.
The $670 million public-private partnership is generating an estimated 9,000 jobs, has invested over $75 million in small, disadvantaged, and minority- and women-owned businesses, and distributed grant funding to more than 80 local non-profit organizations. Delivering 66% more capacity, the Fredericksburg Extension is used by over 15% of 95 Express Lanes users—one in four of them new to the Express Lanes in the last three years.
Additionally, at 10 p.m. on December 7, 2023, the southbound ramp from the I-95 general-purpose lanes to the 95 Express Lanes near Opitz Boulevard Bridge project in Prince William County will be closed permanently. During daytime reversal on December 8, the new southbound Dale Boulevard ramp will open replacing the previous access point.
About Transurban North America
Transurban is one of the world's largest toll-road operators and developers, working to get people where they want to go, as quickly and safely as possible. In fiscal year 2023, our faster, more reliable roads saved customers an average of 413,000 hours each workday across five global markets. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, our public-private partnerships are transforming transportation choices using dynamic, real-time pricing on the 495, 95, and 395 Express Lanes. As we celebrate a decade of keeping Virginia travelers moving, we continue to work alongside our government partners to drive the technology, policy and mobility solutions that are connecting and strengthening communities today and ten years from now.
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A new ramp to the southbound Lanes in Prince William County
November 27, 2023
The express version
- The ramp to the southbound Express Lanes from the regular lanes near Opitz Blvd. closes Dec. 7
- A replacement ramp near Dale Blvd., just south of the closed ramp, will open Dec. 8
- The ramp closure is necessary to build a new connection from the 95 Express Lanes directly to Opitz Blvd.
The ramp to get on the southbound Express Lanes from the regular lanes near Opitz Blvd. will close around 10 p.m. on December 7. A replacement ramp about 3/4 mile south near Dale Blvd. will open to customers for southbound travel after the midday reversal on December 8.
Drivers should travel with extra caution during the nighttime period of December 7 as lane closures will be in place to close the current ramp and open the new one.
Relocating the access ramp was necessary to build a new reversible ramp that will connect the 95 Express Lanes directly to Opitz Boulevard.
Work on that ramp will begin on Monday, December 11. To allow for construction activities between the southbound regular lanes and the 95 Express Lanes, customers traveling on the northbound Express Lanes should expect that the left shoulder will be closed from about Dale Boulevard to Opitz Boulevard.
Learn more about the Opitz Ramp project here.
Changes to the midday reversal on the 95 Express Lanes
November 1, 2023
Beginning November 6, we are launching a pilot that will change the daytime reversal procedure for the 95 and 395 Express Lanes. Starting at 11 a.m. as the reversal process begins, all customers on the northbound Express Lanes will be diverted back to the regular lanes just before Route 123.
All customers traveling on or entering the 95 Express Lanes south of the Prince William Parkway will be diverted. Access points affected include ramps from I-95 near Route 17, Route 630, Route 610, Route 234 and Cardinal Drive, as well as the access ramp directly from Opitz Boulevard.
The diversion will allow reversal to take place faster, opening the Lanes to southbound traffic sooner. By shifting the availability of the Express Lanes’ capacity, travelers in both the regular lanes and Express Lanes are more likely to benefit from time savings.
The northbound regular lanes from near Route 123 to the D.C. line are typically free flowing during the diversion period.
Fred Ex Project Road Closure Information -- Week of Dec 17
December 18, 2023
For all road closures and other impacts in the Fredericksburg region, please visit Fredericksburg District - Travel | Virginia Department of Transportation (virginiadot.org).
Week of 12/17-12/23
I-95 Northbound
Exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton)
Monday, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Single lane closure at mile marker 133 for the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension project.
Exit 140 (Courthouse Road) to Exit 148 (Quantico)
Monday - Friday, 9 p.m. - 4:30 a.m. Single lane closure at mile markers 140-142 and 145-147 for the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension project.
I-95 Southbound
Exit 148 (Quantico) to Exit 143 (Aquia/Garrisonville)
Thursday, 9 p.m. - 10 a.m. Single lane closure at 9 p.m. and double at 10 p.m. at mile markers 148-145 for pavement markings. Part of 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension project construction.
Exit 148 (Quantico) to Exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton)
Monday - Wednesday, 9 p.m. - 10 a.m. Single lane closure at mile markers 146-144 and 135-133 for work zone barrier removal. Part of 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension project construction.
Exit 143 (Aquia/Garrisonville) to Exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton)
Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Single lane closure at mile markers 143-140 and 136-134 for the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension project.
Overnight reversal to begin at 1 a.m. starting Oct. 3
September 28, 2023
Beginning October 3, the 95 & 395 Express Lanes will begin the overnight reversal at 1 a.m. instead of midnight. As a result, the Lanes will open northbound by about 3 a.m.
With this pilot, we are working to help more travelers get where they need to go faster and more reliably, even late at night. Data supports the initiative, showing traffic is more likely in the southbound direction in the midnight hour.
By shifting the availability of the Express Lanes’ extra capacity, travelers in both the regular lanes and Express Lanes are more likely to benefit from time savings in the corridor.
The overnight reversal occurs weekdays except for Mondays.