395 Express Lanes

Traveling in the D.C. metro area is about to get easier with the 395 Express Lanes, an 8-mile extension of the 95 Express Lanes that’ll take you right up to the D.C. line.

Just like the 495 and 95 Express Lanes, you’ll need an E-ZPass® or E-ZPass Flex® to drive them.

When the 395 Express Lanes open, cars with 1 or 2 customers will pay to use the Lanes with an E-ZPass® or E-ZPass Flex® set to non-HOV mode.

Tolls will change about every 10 minutes to keep the Lanes free-flowing and give you a quicker trip. Pricing signs will show the current tolls. Learn more about how dynamic pricing works. 

But how does free travel sound? If you have a headcount of 3 or more people and your E-ZPass Flex® set to HOV mode, you’ll ride for free. Not to mention, motorcycles can travel toll-free without an E-ZPass and buses will welcome passengers with the price of a standard fare.

Here’s what else you can look forward to with the new 395 Express Lanes:

• An 8-mile extension of the 95 Express Lanes that’ll take you right up to the D.C. line
• 3 free-flowing reversible lanes
• Direct access to the Pentagon and Crystal City for faster and safer travel thanks to improvements made to the Eads Street interchange

Existing HOV entry and exit points on the I-395 HOV lanes will become open to toll-paying customers. The only exception is the Seminary Road ramp, which will stay HOV only.

Thanks to improvements at the Eads Street interchange, you’ll get direct access to the Pentagon and Crystal City for a faster and safer trip. 

The 395 Express Lanes and Eads Street Interchange will offer employees and visitors a simpler way to drive to and from the Pentagon. Not to mention, the South Parking Lot on the Pentagon Reservation is getting a makeover. The South Parking Lot updates will deliver smoother travel for pedestrians, drivers or bus riders on the Pentagon Reservation.

We’ve been up to a lot around the Pentagon Reservation over the last couple of years. Stay in the know about the latest progress and updates we’re making around the Pentagon Reservation on the News & Alerts page. We’ve also been up to a lot around the Pentagon Reservation over the last several years. You can find older updates by visiting our past announcements, too.

Department of Defense employees can head over to the Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) Transportation CAC-enabled website for the scoop on how this project may affect parking and transportation on the Pentagon Reservation.

Have questions about how the 395 Express Lanes project may switch up the flow around the Pentagon? Reach out to:

• Andy Kropf, AECOM, 610-331-7432, andrew.kropf@aecom.com
• Michelle Holland, VDOT, 703-586-0487, michelle.holland@vdot.virginia.gov

   

New travel incentives are now available during the construction of the 395 Express Lanes project. These incentives make it easier for you to ride the bus, carpool, vanpool and telework along the I-395 corridor. More about these new incentives and commuting options below.

Need to find a carpool or bus route? The following resources will help you on your way:

• Commuter Connections
• NuRide
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Slug-Lines

Take the bus

Additional bus services have been added during peak hours on a popular OmniRide route, as well as two Metrobus commuter routes to help alleviate traffic in the corridor.

Learn more

Join a carpool

Carpool with one or more people and you may receive up to $230 through the Commuter Connections 'Pool Rewards' program.

Learn more

Start a vanpool

To make the process easier, financial assistance and new rider matching is available to help start new vanpools traveling on I-395.

Learn more

Work remotely

Employers with employees that use the I-395 corridor may be eligible for up to $10,000 in additional subsidies to encourage them to create a new teleworking program.

Learn more

More info

To find out more information on any of these incentives or additional commuting options, please contact the jurisdiction in which you live.

Learn more

We’re making progress on the 395 Express Lanes every day. Here’s what we’re up to in the area as we work around the clock toward the grand opening.

You can count on us to:

• Let you know ahead of time via social media if we need to do work that could impact your travels
• Keep local communities in the loop with our construction plans
• Do most of our work behind guardrail barriers in the existing HOV lanes at night and outside of peak times

You can trust that we won’t:

• Schedule lane closures on I-395 or in the I-395 HOV lanes during peak traveling hours
• Take over any residential or commercial property

The new 395 Express Lanes are coming to you soon. In the meantime, enjoy safe travels.

Starting June 1, the ramp connecting the HOV lanes to the regular lanes – just past the Pentagon on I-395 south – will be permanently closed. There will be new traffic patterns near the 14th Street Bridge, so please keep reading for info. 

Here’s what to do 

In the morning:

• If you’re driving the southbound I-395 lanes from D.C., and you’re in the HOV lanes, head back to the regular lanes immediately after crossing the 14th Street Bridge at the ramp near Boundary Channel Drive. Don’t wait to switch lanes until after you pass the Pentagon
• If you’re going to the Pentagon or Crystal City – or you missed the exit near Boundary Channel – take the exit at Eads Street. If you need to get back to the I-395 regular lanes, follow signs to Hayes Street and you can easily get back on the regular lanes.  No need to worry

In the afternoon:

• If you’re an HOV driver traveling southbound from D.C., nothing changes. Your commute is the same
• If you’re a non-HOV driver, exit the HOV lanes near Boundary Channel Drive after crossing the 14th Street Bridge
• If you’re going to the Pentagon or Crystal City – or you missed the exit near Boundary Channel – take the exit at Eads Street. If you need to get back to the I-395 regular lanes, follow signs to Hayes Street

Getting to 395 from the Pentagon

• Take North Rotary Rd. to South Washington Blvd. where you can then get on the 395 southbound regular lanes
• Just take the ramp near the Pentagon to get directly onto the 395 HOV lanes 

Why is this happening? 

It’s part of a larger effort.  Changes to the I-395 corridor offers benefits for drivers in the region. When the 395 Express Lanes open this fall, you’ll have more choices when it comes to daily commuting and leisure travel.

The 395 Express Lanes will deliver faster, safer and more predictable ways to travel to and from D.C. and points in Alexandria and Arlington – with direct access to the Pentagon, Pentagon City and Crystal City. 
 

Contracting opportunities

• The Lane Construction Corporation is the selected Design-Builder for the 395 Express Lanes project. To discuss potential DBE/SWaM contracting opportunities, please get in touch with Kai Earle at KEarle@laneconstruct.com.
• To discuss all other contracting or employment opportunities related to design and construction of the 395 Express Lanes project, please reach out to Jason Tracy at JATracy@laneconstruct.com.

Questions about your property or construction?

Reach out to:

• Andy Kropf, AECOM, 610-331-7432, andrew.kropf@aecom.com
• Michelle Holland, VDOT, 703-586-0487, michelle.holland@vdot.virginia.gov

Teleworking

• Robin Mack, Telework!VA, 866-469-1010, rmack@teleworkVA.org