Keep Tysons Moving during Virginia Mega Projects - HOT Lanes, Dulles Rail Constructions

  

image: some of the brochures I picked up from the booths

This morning I went to the 'Keep Tysons Moving' business briefing. Briefing is about the two mega projects they're working on around Tysons Corner and the kind of transportation options available for employees. VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportations) have two mega projects in the works around Tysons: Capital Beltway HOT Lanes and Dulles Corridor Metrorail. Without the two projects alone, traffic would be so jammed up during rush hours - that is morning, lunch, and afternoon - of people trying to get to and out of Tysons. 

Briefing is divided into four part:

1. Dulles Metrorail
2. Capital Beltway HOT Lanes project
3. Commuter and Employer solutions
4. Regional Transportation management plan - the big picture

Tim Steinhilber, the general manager of Capital Beltway HOT Lanes Project with Transurban said "that the transportation projects are 2010 most active constructions." We have the largest employment center in Virginia and economic engine of the state, that's why it's important for employers to empower employees to commute. Besides talking about the construction timeline, commute is the other thing that they want to get the message out. 

Dulles Corridor Metrorail

Marcia McAllister, Dir. of Communications with Dulles Corridor Metrorail project, gives an update on project. She said that Dulles metrorail is integration of 106 miles of metrorail. With 11 stops planned in which 5 metro stops slated for phase I and 6 in phase II. Phase I from East Falls Church to Wiehle will open in 2013 and phase II from Wiehle to Route 772/ Ryan Road in Loudoun county via Dulles Airport open in 2017. The big part: All five phase I work will be under constructions by end of 2010. What that means, employers would need to roll out alternative transportation options - be up and running for their employees - ASAP. There's no way to put around it. Think about it for a moment, these are Virginia two biggest projects ever! Can you imagine, what traffic going to be like, if we have traffic-as-usual pattern?

Highlights:

• Tysons east station construction has already started
• Construction for Tysons Central station will start in June 2010
• Construction for Tysons West station will start in late summer 2010
• There will be 3 different trusses. Large truss will be assembled at the Dulles Connector Road bridge over Old Chain Bridge road that will be used to build elevated tracks. The total weight of the structure is 366 tons, according to Marsha that is equal to 11 elephants. The first truss segment assembly scheduled for May 9.
• Working on Route 7 retaining walls for Tysons Central Route 7 station construction

 



 

Capital Beltway HOT Lanes

Larry Cloyed, the project manager, gives us the scoop. Once construction is said and done. There will be carpool HOV-3 lanes on the beltway from Springfield interchange to north of Dulles Toll road (via Tysons Corner), congestion free network for buses, pedestrian and bike paths on the side. The work they do right now is replacing $260 million of aging infrastructure in addition to build four new lanes (2 in each direction), construction carpool ramps connecting I-95 with the beltway for seamless network.

There is a plan for southbound bridge, taking down the bridge in one weekend by shutting down Route 123 from Friday to Monday morning in the Fall of 2010. He said that by taking down the bridge, it saved you about six weeks of dealing with demolition. He says that they'll do some creative work around it. 

 
 View larger image of Virginia HOT lanes spring construction 2010 here.

There you have it on projects. In the word of Larry Cloyed 'enjoy mobility while you have it..'

We'll continue with employers, employees solutions that include commuter solutions, carpool incentives, NOW Mega Benefits program along with resources - and more..  tomorrow. 

So check back tomorrow.

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On a side note, I bumped into Dr. Gridlock from Washington Post. I think he's going to have a write up about this briefing, too. So check out his column over at Washington Post. 

images credit: Dulles corridor metrorail, Virginia mega projects

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• Virginia 2020 Transportation Plan (metrodcliving.com)
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