New travel patterns to and from the 495 Express Lanes and I-66
November 14, 2022
The express version
- To go from I-66 eastbound to the 495 Express Lanes, keep right to use the new exit ramp
- To go from the 495 Express Lanes to the I-66 westbound regular lanes, keep right after taking the usual exit ramp
From I-66 east to 495 Express Lanes
Drivers on I-66 eastbound in northern Virginia who want to enter the 495 Express Lanes will begin using a new flyover ramp starting Tuesday night, Nov. 15.
The new ramp is located on the right side of I-66 after the Cedar Lane Bridge, about one mile after the Nutley Street exit. It will replace the long-standing entry ramp located on the left side of I-66 near the center of the I-66/I-495 interchange.
From the 495 Express Lanes to the I-66 west regular lanes
And, for customers on the northbound 495 Express Lanes heading to the regular lanes on I-66 westbound, a new configuration on the exit ramp will go into effect on Nov. 14. Take the usual exit ramp from the 495 Express Lanes to I-66, but keep to the right instead of the left. The new ramp will loop over I-66 to put travelers onto the westbound lanes.
As always, follow the on-road exit signs and remember to use extra caution as traffic patterns adjust to the new flow.
Plan Ahead: New Vertical Clearance for American Legion Road Overpass in Stafford, VA Beginning September 26
September 22, 2022
Starting September 26, weather permitting, the American Legion Road Overpass will have a new, reduced vertical clearance of 15 feet 2 inches. The vertical clearance reduction is due to an upcoming traffic shift that is set to occur in the coming months. This change will only impact over-height vehicles traveling on I-95 South.
Message boards will be posted next week to warn oversize vehicles of the new clearance and to access exit 140 (Courthouse Road) and travel on Route 1 to avoid a bridge strike.
Crews are widening the general-purpose travel lanes near the American Legion Road overpass work zone to shift all southbound traffic to a new alignment. Once southbound traffic is shifted to the right of the existing lanes, the temporary height restriction will no longer be needed. The restriction is expected to be removed in early December.
About the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension Project
To make traveling through the I-95 corridor in Stafford County easier and faster, the Fredericksburg Extension (Fred Ex) will pick up where the 95 Express Lanes currently end and will extend 10 miles south near Fredericksburg, VA. The lengthened lanes will connect with the 395 Express Lanes to create a connected corridor spanning nearly 50 miles from the Fredericksburg area to the D.C. line.
This project will also offer new access points to the existing 95 Express Lanes, create new ramps that provide direct access to Quantico and Courthouse Road, and add seven new bridges. When the Fred Ex project is completed, it will connect with the 395 Express Lanes, offering drivers an uninterrupted Express Lanes corridor between the Potomac River and near the Rappahannock River.
More information on the Fred Ex project and 95 Express Lanes is available at www.expresslanes.com.
Plan Ahead: Overnight Stoppages Near American Legion Road Overpass in Stafford, VA Beginning September 26
September 22, 2022
Overnight construction on I-95 South to lift and install bridge beams for a replacement American Legion Road overpass is scheduled for September 26-28. Intermittent full traffic stops are scheduled between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. with each stop lasting up to 30 minutes at a time. Overnight construction on I-95 North to lift and install bridge beams for a replacement American Legion Road overpass is scheduled for October 3-5. Intermittent full traffic stops are scheduled between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. with each stop lasting up to 30 minutes at a time. Travelers are advised to plan ahead and reroute their travel to avoid delays from the intermittent stoppages.
*Tentatively scheduled for September 26- September 28 and October 3-October 5.
Visit www.expresslanes.com/news-and-alerts for detour and up-to-date road closure information.
About the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension Project
To make traveling through the I-95 corridor in Stafford County easier and faster, the Fredericksburg Extension (Fred Ex) will pick up where the 95 Express Lanes currently end and will extend 10 miles south near Fredericksburg, VA. The lengthened lanes will connect with the 395 Express Lanes to create a connected corridor spanning nearly 50 miles from the Fredericksburg area to the D.C. line.
This project will also offer new access points to the existing 95 Express Lanes, create new ramps that provide direct access to Quantico and Courthouse Road, and add seven new bridges. When the Fred Ex project is completed, it will connect with the 395 Express Lanes, offering drivers an uninterrupted Express Lanes corridor between the Potomac River and near the Rappahannock River.
More information on the Fred Ex project and 95 Express Lanes is available at www.expresslanes.com.
Local Transportation Safety Advocates to Host Free Car Seat Inspection Event
September 22, 2022
The express version
- Transurban, Safe Kids Fairfax County and State Farm Agent Kenya Z. Knight to provide a vital service to families in the greater Mount Vernon region
- Event announced in recognition of National Child Passenger Safety Week
Transurban, the operator of the 495, 95 and 395 Express Lanes, Safe Kids Fairfax County and State Farm Agent Kenya Z. Knight today announced they are hosting a free Child Passenger Seat (CPS) safety check on Thursday, October 6, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Gum Springs Community Center in the 95 Express Lanes corridor.
The event will leverage a community partnership between transportation, healthcare and insurance companies to expand the reach of free CPS inspections, typically offered by first responders. The partners aim to help children in Fairfax County stay safe while in the car by educating parents and caregivers.
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will deliver a range of services at the event:
- Inspect – and if necessary, adjust – car and booster seats already installed in vehicles,
- Ensure settings and positioning are appropriate for the child passenger who rides in the seat,
- Provide hands-on assistance to help finalize the installation of new seats, and
- Educate parents and caregivers on proper seat usage throughout age groups.
Transurban also announced it will donate resources for the checkup event that will help to keep the youngest citizens in Fairfax County safe. From infant to preteen, these free resources will provide local families with hundreds of years of child passenger protection.
“Working together to improve road safety strengthens the communities we serve, which is core to Transurban’s mission,” said Amanda Baxter, senior vice president, Virginia market and operations at Transurban North America. “By collaborating with community partners like Safe Kids Fairfax County and State Farm Agent Kenya Knight, we can support our neighbors with resources to protect children on the road.”
Research from Transurban finds that 74% of people in the Greater Washington Area are driving with self-installed car seats or boosters — critical child safety products that haven’t been placed or inspected by a certified technician. This is especially concerning since 46% of car and booster seats are used incorrectly, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“We appreciate Transurban’s investment in child passenger safety, adding to our common goal of keeping our kids safe,” said Linda Watkins, Safe Kids Fairfax County Coalition Coordinator. “With Transurban’s and State Farm’s generous contributions, we are supporting our communities with awareness, education and tangible change.”
“State Farm is excited to contribute child seat inspections for the CPS safety check, building on our commitment to safety and community,” said Kenya Knight, State Farm Insurance Agent. “Following Child Passenger Safety Week, we are excited to continue the momentum with seat safety checks and educational resources.”
The Gum Springs Community Center is located at 8100 Fordson Road in Alexandria.
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About the Express Lanes operated by Transurban
The 395, 95, and 495 Express Lanes provide drivers in Northern Virginia with faster and more predictable travel options. The Express Lanes stretch more than 53 miles through northern Virginia. Thanks to a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban, the Express Lanes give drivers reliable travel choices on the region’s most congested roadways.
About Safe Kids
Safe Kids Worldwide is a nonprofit organization working to protect kids from preventable injuries, the number one cause of death for children in the United States. Safe Kids works with an extensive network of more than 400 coalitions in the U.S., including Fairfax County, and with partners in more than 30 countries to reduce traffic injuries, drownings, falls, burns, poisonings, and more. Safe Kids also engages in advocacy efforts to make kids safer at the federal, state, and local levels. Since 1988, Safe Kids has helped reduce the U.S. childhood death rate from unintentional injury by nearly 60 percent. Learn more at SafeKids.org
About State Farm
For 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been and continues to be to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. For more information, please visit StateFarm.com
High Occupancy Vehicle Restriction on 395 Express Lanes Seminary Road Ramp to Lift September 9
August 25, 2022
The express version
- The south-facing, reversible HOV ramp connecting the 395 Express Lanes to Seminary Road in Alexandria will convert to a standard express lane, or High Occupancy Toll, ramp on Friday, September 9
- Converting the ramp will offer vehicles who are traveling with fewer than three people the option to pay a toll to use it
- Vanpool and carpool customers with an E-ZPass Flex set to HOV ON, buses and motorcycles will continue to enjoy toll-free use of the ramp
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Transurban, operator of the 495, 95 and 395 Express Lanes, today announced the south-facing, reversible HOV ramp connecting the 395 Express Lanes to Seminary Road in Alexandria will convert to a standard express lane, or High Occupancy Toll, ramp on Friday, September 9.
Converting the ramp will offer vehicles who are traveling with fewer than three people the option to pay a toll to exit to Seminary Road from the northbound 395 Express Lanes, or to enter the southbound Lanes from Seminary Road.
Dynamic message signs currently installed on Seminary Road will display real-time toll prices to destinations available from the ramp beginning September 9.
Vanpool and carpool customers with an E-ZPass Flex set to HOV ON, buses and motorcycles will continue to enjoy toll-free use of the ramp.
Work to replace the ramp’s on-road HOV regulatory signage and pavement markers with Express Lanes regulatory visuals will require temporary lane closures and shifts. Overnight work along the Express Lanes corridor is scheduled to begin the weekend of August 26 and a temporary traffic shift on Seminary Road is scheduled for August 29 and 30.
The ramp’s HOV-3+ restriction has been in effect since the 395 Express Lanes opened in November 2019. It is the only ramp along the Express Lanes corridor closed to toll-paying customers.
The ramp conversion project is being delivered in partnership by VDOT and Transurban. VDOT is providing oversight, while Transurban is responsible for design, implementation and maintenance.
The first public information meeting about the potential ramp conversion was held in December 2019, however, the project was put on hold in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. VDOT later held another virtual public meeting in December 2021. Following the public comment period, the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the conversion in January 2022.
95 Express Lanes Overnight Closure for Joint Repairs
August 12, 2022
The express version
- 95 Express Lanes from near Route 289 to near Edsall Road will close all Lanes overnight August 16
- Overnight on Aug. 16, northbound customers will be detoured to regular lanes just before Route 644
- Southbound customers will be detoured to regular lanes just before Edsall Road
A span of the 95 Express Lanes from near Route 289 in Springfield to the start of the 395 Express Lanes near Edsall Road in Alexandria will fully close from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, August 16, to Wednesday, August 17, for joint repairs.
During the same overnight period on August 14, 15, and 17, between one to two travel lanes along the same stretch will close for repairs. At least one travel lane on the 95 Express Lanes will remain open for customers during those periods.
During the full closure, customers on the Express Lanes will be detoured to the regular lanes. Detours will be in effect when the Lanes are open both northbound and southbound, and access ramps to the Lanes throughout the span will remain closed.
When the corridor is open northbound:
- Customers traveling on the 95 Express Lanes will be diverted to the regular lanes just before the exit to Route 644.
- From the regular lanes, the next opportunity to enter the northbound 395 Express Lanes will be after Edsall Road.
When the corridor is open southbound:
- Customers traveling on the 395 Express Lanes will be diverted to the regular lanes just before the exit to Edsall Road.
- From the regular lanes, the next opportunity to enter the southbound 95 Express Lanes will be after Route 289.
Access ramps from southbound I-495 to the northbound or southbound 95/395 Express Lanes will be closed
- Drivers can use one of the access ramps referenced above to get on the Express Lanes from the regular lanes
Plan Ahead for I-95 South Overnight Delays Near Quantico in August
July 15, 2022
The express version
- Expect major delays on I-95 south during overnight periods near Quantico in August
- Traffic detour in place from 11 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.
- All southbound traffic detoured off I-95 at Exit 148 onto Route 1
As part of the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension project, overnight bridge beam lifts near Quantico are scheduled to begin early August 2022. The work is anticipated to be completed within three nights.
Here’s what to expect:
- Overnight construction is now scheduled for August 8 - 10*
- Detour will occur between 11:00 p.m. and 3:30 a.m.
- Traffic will be detoured from Exit 148 (Russell Rd/Quantico) onto Route 1 to re-enter I-95 South from Exit 143 (Aquia/Garrisonville/Route 610)
Check the detour.
Please review the detour map and travel safely!
*Tentatively scheduled, weather permitting
I-95 FredEx Closures Week of July 3-9
July 4, 2022
The express version
- FredEx work will close travel lanes during overnight periods between Courthouse Rd and Centreport Pkwy
- All southbound lanes will close for periods of up to 30 minutes on Friday July 8 between midnight and 3 a.m.
Fred Ex Lane/Shoulder Closures – Week of July 3 – July 9, 2022
I-95 Southbound Regular Lanes
Exit 140 (Courthouse Road) to Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway)
Thursday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 4:30 a.m. Overnight lane closures with intermittent full traffic stops for Express Lanes construction near the interchange. Intermittent full traffic stops between midnight and 3 a.m. on Friday morning with each stop lasting up to 30 minutes at a time.
- 9 p.m. – Single lane closure
- 10 p.m. – Double lane closure
- Midnight – 3 a.m. – Intermittent full traffic stops up to 30 minutes
- 4:30 a.m. – All southbound lanes open
I-95 Northbound Regular Lanes
Exit 133 (Route 17 ) to Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway)
Tuesday – Thursday, 9 p.m. – 4:30 a.m. and Friday – Saturday, 10 p.m. – 5 a.m. Overnight lane closures for 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension construction. Tuesday through Thursday, single lane closure begins at 9 p.m. followed by double lane closure from 10 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. On Friday night, single lane closure starts at 10 p.m. followed by double lane closure from 10:30 p.m. to 5 a.m.
95 Lane Closure Content – Week of June 27
June 27, 2022
The express version
- There will be overnight lane closures and full traffic stops on I-95 SB from Exit 136 to Exit 133
- There will also be a single lane closures on I-95 NB from Exit 133 to Exit 136
I-95 southbound
Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway) to Exit 133 (Route 17)
Monday – Thursday, 9 p.m. – 10 a.m. Overnight lane closures and full traffic stops for Express Lanes construction near the interchange. Intermittent full traffic stops between midnight and 3 a.m. are only needed on one evening
- 9 p.m. – Single lane closure
- 10 p.m. – Double lane closure
- Midnight – 3 a.m. – Intermittent full traffic stops up to 30 minutes
- 4:30 a.m. – Two lanes open with a single lane closure in place
- 10 a.m. – All southbound lanes open
I-95 northbound
Exit 133 (Route 17 ) to Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway)
Monday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 4:30 a.m. 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension construction. Single lane closure begins at 9 p.m. followed by double lane closure from 10 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
Transurban Express Lanes Launches New Community Grant Program to Support Northern Virginia Communities
June 16, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2022
Contact:
Tim Pratt
(571) 253-3057
tpratt@transurban.com
TYSONS – Transurban, developer and operator of the 495, 95 and 395 Express Lanes, is launching a new competitive grant program to benefit the local community as part of the 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project in Fairfax County.
The 495 NEXT Community Grant program will award multiple grants each quarter worth up to $3,000 to non-profit organizations, educational institutions and other entities that sustain, enhance or protect the local environment and neighborhoods in proximity to the 495 NEXT project corridor.
“The launch of this important new grant program demonstrates our continued commitment to giving back to the communities we serve,” said Jeff Taylor, Vice President of Project Delivery, Transurban North America. “By investing in organizations that serve a variety of critical needs, we are working to improve residents’ quality of life across the region to ensure they thrive not just during construction, but well into the future.”
Stretching 2 1/2 miles, 495 NEXT, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Transportation, will add two new dynamically tolled Express Lanes in each direction of 495, beginning where the Express Lanes currently terminate near Tysons and ending at George Washington Memorial Parkway, with new or improved connections at the Dulles Toll Road interchange and George Washington Memorial Parkway. The project will reduce cut-through traffic for local communities and will deliver faster, more reliable travel with up to 24 minutes of travel time savings for Express Lanes customers. High-occupancy Vehicles (HOV) with three or more travelers, bus riders and motorcyclists travel for free. The project also will set the stage for the New American Legion Bridge I-270 Traffic Relief Plan, which ultimately will connect with 495 NEXT and create a seamless, regional Express Lanes system.
Along with the travel benefits, the project’s Community Grant program will bolster the efforts of organizations throughout the corridor. Over the past decade, Transurban’s Community Grant programs have contributed more than $2.3 million to more than 350 organizations, creating healthier communities across the region, including those providing educational programming, support to the vulnerable, environmental sustainability, and other critical services.
The 495 NEXT Community Grant program will build on the success of these existing grant programs to deliver funding to organizations that meet the criteria. Successful grant applications will support an organization or neighborhood; provide benefits to a directly-affected community near the 495 NEXT corridor; or demonstrate social, environmental or safety benefits within the corridor.
Deadlines to apply for a community grant program occur quarterly, with the initial deadline on June 30. To learn more about Transurban’s Express Lanes Community Grant programs and how to apply, visit https://www.expresslanes.com/about#community-grant-programs