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IMMEDIATE Tamara Neale Office 804-786-6458 Tamara.Neale@VDOT.Virginia.gov Cell 804-840-2813 |
CO-0501 Jan. 20, 2005 |
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PROPOSALS TO BUILD I-95 HIGH OCCUPANCY TOLL LANES IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND FREDERICKSBURG MOVE TO NEXT STAGE OF REVIEW
RICHMOND The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) today voted to move two private sector proposals that would widen the I-95 corridor in Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg to the next stage of review under the Public-Private Transportation Act (PPTA). The PPTA allows the private sector to partner with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to finance and build road projects quicker and with less public money.
The two proposals are from the Clark Construction Group (including Shirley Contracting company and Koch Performance Roads), and Fluor Virginia, Inc. The Clark Construction Group proposes a $407 million project to improve 36 miles of I-95 from the Springfield Interchange in Fairfax County to Route 17 in Stafford County. Fluor Virginia, Inc. proposes a $1 billion project to improve 54 miles of I-95 from the 14th Street Bridge in Arlington County to south of the Route 17 Bypass in Massaponax.
The key features of both proposals are widening the existing two high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-95 in Northern Virginia to three high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes and extending the HOT lanes to Stafford County. Both proposals would also connect the HOT lanes to the beltway, known as Phase 8 of the Springfield Interchange.
The projects would be financed primarily through tolls. According to the proposals, a variable toll rate would apply to vehicles carrying fewer than three people each on the HOT lanes.
Both proposals merit further review because the proposers meet the initial qualifications to finance and make much needed improvements to I-95, said VDOT Commissioner Philip Shucet. While public private partnerships provide funding options that would otherwise not be available for certain projects, no improvements can be made to I-95 until federal and state environmental reviews take place. That involves a great deal of public participation.
The next step in the PPTA review process begins with the submission of the detailed proposals by both proposers. The detailed proposals will be reviewed by an advisory panel consisting of transportation experts and policy-makers. The advisory panel process is open to the public and will include one or more opportunities for public comments. The earliest the VDOT Commissioner would begin negotiations for a comprehensive agreement with one or both proposers is early 2006.
The proposals are posted at http://www.virginiadot.org/business/ppta-I-95HotLanes.asp
I-95 HOT Lanes Fact Sheet
Proposal descriptions:
Clark Construction Group proposes a $407 million project to improve 36 miles of I-95 from the Springfield Interchange in Fairfax County to Route 17 in Stafford County. Project characteristics:
Convert existing two HOV lanes between the Springfield Interchange and Route 234 (Dumfries Road) to three HOT lanes, then extend three HOT lanes from Route 234 to Route 17 in Stafford County
Build Phase 8 of the Springfield Interchange
Provide a 20-year pavement warranty
Fluor Virgnia, Inc. proposes a $1 billion project to improve 54 miles of I-95 from the 14th Street Bridge in Arlington County to Massaponax. Project characteristics:
Build a multimodal transportation facility between the 14th Street Bridge and Massaponax
Locate the bus rapid/HOT lanes in the center of the existing HOV lanes north of Dumfries and as a new two-lane road from Dumfries to Massaponax
Convert the existing two HOV lanes between the 14th Street Bridge and Route 234 (Dumfries) to three HOT lanes
Extend three HOT lanes from Route 234 to Route 610, then extend two HOT lanes from Route 610 to south of the Route 17 Bypass in Massaponax.
Build Phase 8 of the Springfield Interchange
PPTA process and estimated schedule:
Dec. 2004 The initial review committee comprised of VDOT staff completed proposal evaluations to make sure they merit further review.
Jan. 2005 The Commonwealth Transportation Board approved moving both HOT lane proposals to the next stage of review in the PPTA process.
Sept. 2005 - The advisory panel completes review of detailed proposals (Before the review, VDOT receives detailed proposals, holds a 60-day local government comment period, then the advisory panel - headed by the Deputy Secretary of Transportation and comprised of CTB members, local government and VDOT officials and members of the business and academic community - review the proposals.)
Dec. 2005 - The Commissioner considers the advisory panels recommendation. The panel may recommend to reject both proposals or to move forward with one or both proposals.
Jan. 2006 - If the Commissioner decides to move forward, he will begin negotiations for a comprehensive agreement with one or both proposers.
PPTA is a procurement vehicle for VDOT to fund projects. Regardless of how a project is procured either through a public-private partnership or though conventional means it must go through the required state and federal environmental laws and regulations. Environmental review involves public participation.
Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.
The two proposals are from the Clark Construction Group (including Shirley Contracting company and Koch Performance Roads), and Fluor Virginia, Inc. The Clark Construction Group proposes a $407 million project to improve 36 miles of I-95 from the Springfield Interchange in Fairfax County to Route 17 in Stafford County. Fluor Virginia, Inc. proposes a $1 billion project to improve 54 miles of I-95 from the 14th Street Bridge in Arlington County to south of the Route 17 Bypass in Massaponax.
The key features of both proposals are widening the existing two high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-95 in Northern Virginia to three high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes and extending the HOT lanes to Stafford County. Both proposals would also connect the HOT lanes to the beltway, known as Phase 8 of the Springfield Interchange.
The projects would be financed primarily through tolls. According to the proposals, a variable toll rate would apply to vehicles carrying fewer than three people each on the HOT lanes.
Both proposals merit further review because the proposers meet the initial qualifications to finance and make much needed improvements to I-95, said VDOT Commissioner Philip Shucet. While public private partnerships provide funding options that would otherwise not be available for certain projects, no improvements can be made to I-95 until federal and state environmental reviews take place. That involves a great deal of public participation.
The next step in the PPTA review process begins with the submission of the detailed proposals by both proposers. The detailed proposals will be reviewed by an advisory panel consisting of transportation experts and policy-makers. The advisory panel process is open to the public and will include one or more opportunities for public comments. The earliest the VDOT Commissioner would begin negotiations for a comprehensive agreement with one or both proposers is early 2006.
The proposals are posted at http://www.virginiadot.org/business/ppta-I-95HotLanes.asp
I-95 HOT Lanes Fact Sheet
Proposal descriptions:
Clark Construction Group proposes a $407 million project to improve 36 miles of I-95 from the Springfield Interchange in Fairfax County to Route 17 in Stafford County. Project characteristics:
Fluor Virgnia, Inc. proposes a $1 billion project to improve 54 miles of I-95 from the 14th Street Bridge in Arlington County to Massaponax. Project characteristics:
PPTA process and estimated schedule:
Dec. 2004 The initial review committee comprised of VDOT staff completed proposal evaluations to make sure they merit further review.
Jan. 2005 The Commonwealth Transportation Board approved moving both HOT lane proposals to the next stage of review in the PPTA process.
Sept. 2005 - The advisory panel completes review of detailed proposals (Before the review, VDOT receives detailed proposals, holds a 60-day local government comment period, then the advisory panel - headed by the Deputy Secretary of Transportation and comprised of CTB members, local government and VDOT officials and members of the business and academic community - review the proposals.)
Dec. 2005 - The Commissioner considers the advisory panels recommendation. The panel may recommend to reject both proposals or to move forward with one or both proposals.
Jan. 2006 - If the Commissioner decides to move forward, he will begin negotiations for a comprehensive agreement with one or both proposers.
PPTA is a procurement vehicle for VDOT to fund projects. Regardless of how a project is procured either through a public-private partnership or though conventional means it must go through the required state and federal environmental laws and regulations. Environmental review involves public participation.
Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.
Page last modified: Jan. 20, 2005
