November 5, 2024
Transurban, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Shirley Contracting Company, is scheduled to open a new access point to the 95 Express Lanes from Opitz Boulevard in Woodbridge on Nov. 14, 2024, at approximately 10 p.m. The new access point will be open in the northbound direction for morning rush hour on Friday, Nov. 15.
“In one of the busiest corridors in the Commonwealth, we are proud to deliver yet another way for drivers to get where they need to go with our partners at Transurban and Shirley,” said Michelle Shropshire, P.E., VDOT Northern Virginia District Megaprojects Director. “The new connection between Opitz Boulevard and the 95 Express Lanes will provide new access for drivers coming from Prince William County and points south, helping to relieve congestion locally and on I-95.”
The $70 million project, fully funded by Transurban, connects the 95 Express Lanes to a fast-growing community that includes major employers at Sentara Medical Center and Potomac Mills. It is the first stand-alone direct access ramp to be developed into an existing Express Lanes network.
“The Opitz Boulevard Project is a great example of Transurban’s commitment to improving mobility in collaboration with our partners at VDOT,” said Beau Memory, President, Transurban North America. “We are always looking for more ways to provide faster, more reliable trips—Consistently enhancing and innovating along our roads is one way we build connections throughout our communities—Opitz being the fourth on the 95 Express Lanes since opening in 2014.”
The 95 Express Lanes Opitz Boulevard Ramp Project involves adding a reversible, south-facing ramp that provides direct access to the 95 Express Lanes, providing northbound access to Opitz Boulevard during morning commutes and southbound access from Opitz Boulevard during afternoon commutes. The project also includes the rehabilitation and widening of the Opitz Boulevard bridge over I-95 including left-turn lanes in both directions and a new sidewalk for bicyclists and pedestrians.
These improvements are expected to not only provide faster, more reliable trips on the 95 Express Lanes to more drivers, but also help traffic flow from one side of the highway to the other on Opitz Boulevard.