VDOT News - Northern Virginia

FAIRFAX, Va. - The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and global infrastructure developer and operator Transurban executed the comprehensive agreement for the 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project. Additionally, Transurban selected Lane Construction as the design-build contractor for the project.

The project will provide new travel options, reduce congestion, fund new transit services, and minimize cut-through traffic in residential communities. As part of the project, the Commonwealth is providing $5.2 million to support the launch of new bus service and Transurban will provide $2.2 million annually to support transit improvements in the corridor including the new bus service over the American Legion Bridge. The project also includes construction of bicycle and pedestrian connections along the 495 NEXT corridor.

“This project is the latest extension of the Commonwealth’s 90+ mile express lane network planned for Northern Virginia,” said Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. “Through 495 NEXT and the on-going investments in multimodal options, I believe we will unlock one of the most congested highways, significantly improve the region's transportation network, and contribute to economic growth and opportunity.” 

The 495 NEXT project will extend the existing 495 Express Lanes north by two-and-a-half miles with new and improved connections at the Dulles Toll Road and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The $600 million project is projected to cut travel times for express lanes users by 24 minutes, reduce crashes by 20 percent, and generate an estimated 6,300 jobs and $880 million in economic impact.

“Growing up near Tysons and as a current resident, I have witnessed for far too long the congestion challenges drivers face in this corridor,” said Pierce Coffee, president of Transurban North America. “495 NEXT is an important step toward providing travelers relief from this gridlock with new travel choices – whether a driver, bus rider, carpooler or biker – this project is going to help get you where you need to go safer, faster and more reliably.”

“During a global pandemic and unprecedented times, VDOT and its partners remained committed to advancing this critically-important public-private partnership project for the region and Commonwealth,” said VDOT Commissioner Stephen Brich. “495 NEXT provides for a future regional managed lanes network that will help solve the region’s congestion and improve quality of life.”

The 495 NEXT project includes the following additional improvements and features:

• Funding for new American Legion Bridge bus service connecting Virginia and Maryland. Funding of $5.2 million to support the launch of a new bus service and $2.2 million per year to fund operations of the bus service. The new service is projected to move more than 170,000 riders each year and remove 4.7 million passenger miles from the road, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1,650 metric tons each year.
• Four miles of new bicycle and pedestrian connections including a shared-use path parallel to I-495 from Lewinsville Road to near Live Oak Drive that includes a connection to existing facilities leading to Tysons. In the area north of Live Oak Drive, the path would be constructed partially to connect into future paths proposed by Maryland’s New American Legion I-270 to I-70 Traffic Relief Plan, providing full bicycle and pedestrian access across the Potomac River.
• Replacement or rehabilitation of seven bridges with pedestrian accommodations at Old Dominion Road, Georgetown Pike, Live Oak Drive, and Lewinsville Road including sidewalks, bike lanes, and crossings.
• Replacement of nine existing noise walls and the construction of a new noise wall along Live Oak Drive in the vicinity of the George Washington Memorial Parkway interchange.
• Environmental improvements including introducing storm water management facilities into this section of I-495 for the first time and funding restoration of the stream at Scotts Run.

Financial close is expected to occur in December 2021, with construction starting in 2022. The new extended lanes are scheduled to open in 2025. Click here to learn more about 495 NEXT.

###

Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.