For some reason, the two HOT lanes projects slated for Northern Virginia - I-495 and I-95/395 HOV/Bus/HOT lanes project - and slugging seems to fit right in. The I-495 HOT lanes are four new tolled lanes (two in each direction) alongside the existing highway lanes connecting Springfield to Tysons Corner. Toll rate is based on congestion pricing.
The I-95/395 HOV/Bus/HOT lanes project will provide 56-mile free flowing network of buses, carpoolers and sluggers to travel up and down Arlington to Spotsylvania at a minimum of 45 miles per hour speed 90% of the time. This project would add a third lane down the center of the existing HOV lanes and extend the lanes up to 28 miles south of Spotsyvania. Three or more people in the car can travel free, less than that will have to pay toll.
With the two mega projects run side-by-side, seven additional bridges is planned for Springfield Interchange (mixing bowl) that by 2013 will provide motorists direct access to I-495 HOT lanes from I95/395 HOV lanes via these bridges (weaving under and over the existing ones).
Remember mixing bowl? Can you imagine how the traffic is going to be like during construction of these projects? Construction for the I-95/395 HOT lanes will start sometime this year. Via NorthernVirginia Project News.
Lanes on both directions of I-395 at the interchange have already been shifted to give crew room to begin building the first two bridges. For the next six months, work will continue outside the roadway. Long-term construction forecasts call for major nighttime closures in this area when crews lifted steel beams over the road.
In addition to the HOT lanes, there are commuter lot proposals slated for I-95/395 corridor. In the northern section about 3,750 park and ride spaces are proposed for this section that begins from Stafford near Garrisonville Road on I-95 and ends at Eads Street near Pentagon (I-395).
What's in the three commuter park-and-ride lot proposals:
- 450 spaces for Lorton/Springfield area
- 1200 spaces for Horner Road in Woodbridge
- 1050 spaces for Garrisonville Road in Stafford.
Lorton-Springfield
Horner Road, Woodbridge
Garrisonville Road, Stafford
Construction for I-495 HOT lanes have already begun, so if you're traveling on I-495 Springfield-Tyson vice versa, check this map out for new traffic signals.
All this road constructions is great. However, I just wish that instead of constructing a third lane down on I-95, wouldn't it be much better if that lane is actually 'slated' for light rail?
For more Virginia mega project details, here and here.
images: Virginia Mega Project, Virginia HOT Lanes
