January 14, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT
Tim Pratt
571-253-3057
tpratt@transurban.com
ALEXANDRIA – Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) recently approved the designation of two ramps as high occupancy toll (HOT) ramps under projects led by Transurban, operators of the 495, 95 and 395 Express Lanes, which will deliver improved access, opportunity and reliability to customers in Northern Virginia.
The CTB, which oversees transportation projects and initiatives for the Commonwealth, unanimously approved the ramp designations for the 395 Seminary Road Ramp Project in Alexandria and the 95 Express Lanes Opitz Boulevard Ramp Project in Woodbridge.
“I thank the Commonwealth Transportation Board for its continued confidence in Transurban to deliver congestion relief, economic opportunity and investment in Northern Virginia,” said Pierce Coffee, president, Transurban North America. “The Seminary Road and Opitz Boulevard projects allow us to better connect customers to important destinations while delivering more travel options and trip reliability.”
The 395 Seminary Road Ramp Project involves converting an existing south-facing, high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane ramp on I-395 into a HOT lane, or Express lane, ramp at the Seminary Road interchange in Alexandria. This conversion will enable all Express Lanes customers, not just HOV-3 car-poolers, access to this existing entry and exit point along the eight-mile 395 Express Lanes corridor, helping to improve convenience and network reliability, and relieve congestion. HOV vehicles will still be able to use the ramp toll-free while vehicles with fewer than three people will be able to use the ramp by paying a toll. The project construction is limited to roadway sign work, with the ramp scheduled for operational conversion later this year.
The 95 Express Lanes Opitz Boulevard Ramp Project involves constructing a south-facing, reversible ramp between the 95 Express Lanes and an expanded Opitz Boulevard (Route 2000) bridge. The ramp will be built in the existing median between the southbound I-95 regular lanes and the 95 Express Lanes. In addition, the existing slip ramp from the southbound I-95 regular lanes to the southbound 95 Express Lanes, just north of the Opitz Boulevard, will be relocated to just south of the Dale Boulevard (Route 784) interchange.
The estimated $70 million project will improve access to and from the 95 Express Lanes for travelers from central and southern Prince William County and points south, including to one of the region’s largest shopping centers at Potomac Mills and the Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2022, with an opening in mid-2024.
The Seminary Road and Opitz Boulevard projects were presented to the public by the Virginia Department of Transportation prior to the CTB’s vote. Public input was sought by VDOT on the 395 Seminary Road Ramp project most recently at a public information meeting on December 6, 2021. The 95 Express Lanes Opitz Boulevard Ramp Project was presented for public input through a comment period and at virtual and in-person public hearing options in October 2021.
The Seminary Road and Opitz Boulevard projects improve access to Transurban’s 95 and 395 Express Lanes, a 39-mile corridor representing the longest reversible system of dynamic express lanes in the nation. Transurban’s Virginia Express Lanes network has saved 7 million customers more than 17 million hours of time since the first segment opened in 2012. With Express Lanes extensions progressing in Virginia and Maryland, Transurban is advancing a seamless transportation system that delivers safer, faster and more reliable travel choices across the Greater Washington Region.
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About Transurban North America
Transurban is one of the world’s largest toll-road operators and developers, working to get people where they want to go, as quickly and safely as possible. By embracing collaboration with government, our public-private partnerships are delivering transformative infrastructure solutions across five markets. In fiscal year 2021, our global customers saved 376,000 hours on average each workday across 2 million trips on our roads with faster, more predictable travel options. With a leading market share of transportation P3 investment in North America, we are pioneering travel solutions like dynamically tolled Express Lanes and are partnering with government to think about the policies, technology and infrastructure that will get you home today and ten years from now.Learn more about Transurban North America at: Transurban.com | Expresslanes.com | A25.com