Interstates 95/395/495 HOV/Bus/HOT Lanes Projects

What’s Being Done?

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is partnering with Fluor-Transurban in the development of high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane projects for Interstates 95/395 and the Capital Beltway/Interstate 495. The projects are designed to help alleviate congestion.

The I-95/395 project will expand the existing reversible high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-95/395 from two to three lanes and extend two new lanes south to Massaponax from Eads Street near the Pentagon.

Two HOV/Bus/HOT lanes will be added on the Capital Beltway in each direction between the Springfield Interchange and just north of the Dulles Toll Road.

All of these lanes will become HOV/Bus/HOT lanes – meaning buses and carpools with three or more people can continue to use the lanes for free, while non-HOV motorists can choose to pay a toll and access the lanes as well.

The new I-95/395 lanes will be reversible, meaning traffic operations personnel will use them to move traffic into the region during peak in-bound commute times, and out of the region during out-bound peak periods, like the HOV lanes are used today. The Capital Beltway HOV/Bus/HOT lanes will operate in both directions.

Public-Private Partnership

The Virginia HOV/Bus/HOT lanes projects are the result of a public-private partnership between VDOT and Fluor-Transurban. Under this partnership agreement, VDOT will own and oversee the lanes and Fluor-Transurban will construct, operate and provide routine maintenance on them.

The Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995 is the legislative framework that enables the commonwealth, local governments and other public entities to enter into agreements with private entities to acquire, construct, improve, maintain, and/or operate qualifying transportation facilities. The act provides a unique mechanism for supplementing public funds available for transportation in the commonwealth.

I-95/395 Transit/TDM Study

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is conducting the I-95/395 Transit/TDM Study. The study’s objective is to develop a plan to enhance transit and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) services in the I-95/395 corridor.

TDM refers to strategies designed to change travel behavior in order to reduce the demand on highways (for example, through carpooling, vanpooling, park and ride facilities and parking management.) The study goals are:

• To preserve transit and HOV ridership while implementing HOT lane improvements
  
  
• To make use of HOV/Bus/HOT lane improvements to attract new transit and HOV riders

For more information about this study, visit drpt.virginia.gov/projects/TransitTDMStudy.aspx

Artist's concept of I-495 HOV/Bus/HOT lanes.

News

2007

Dec. 20
VDOT Completes Agreement For Capital Beltway HOT Lanes

Sept. 10
Commonwealth Announces Agreement for Capital Beltway HOT Lanes

July 17
Commonwealth to Hold I-95/395 HOV/BUS/HOT Lanes Citizen Information Meetings

2006 and Before

• I-95/395
• I-495/Capital Beltway