Interstates 95/395/495 HOV/Bus/HOT Lanes Projects

Capital Beltway Route 495 HOT Lanes PPTA Project

 

What’s Being Done?

The Interstate 495/Capital Beltway High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes project will add two new HOV/Bus/HOT lanes in each direction between the Springfield Interchange and just north of the Dulles Toll Road. HOV-3, motorcycles, buses and emergency vehicles will use the HOV/Bus/HOT lanes free of charge.

Non-high occupancy vehicle (HOV) motorists will be able to access the HOV/Bus/HOT lanes by paying a toll.

Tolls will be based on demand, also called congestion pricing. They will change throughout the day according to real-time traffic conditions to manage the number of cars in the HOV/Bus/HOT lanes and keep them free of congestion — even during rush hour.

The project is designed to provide congestion relief to all drivers, keep traffic moving on the Capital Beltway and reduce cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets.

The Virginia HOV/Bus/HOT lanes projects are being developed as a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Fluor-Transurban.

Under this comprehensive agreement, VDOT will own and oversee the HOT lanes and Fluor-Transurban will construct and operate them.

The Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995 is the legislative framework that enables the commonwealth, local governments and other public entities to enter into agreements with private entities to acquire, construct, improve, maintain, and/or operate qualifying transportation facilities.

The act provides a unique mechanism for supplementing public funds available for transportation in the commonwealth.

Project Update

VDOT and Fluor-Transurban signed a comprehensive agreement in April 2005 to advance the Capital Beltway HOV/Bus/HOT lanes project.

VDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) completed the federal environmental review on June 29, 2006, with a Record of Decision.

Since that time, FHWA has approved a refinement of the project scope on May 9, 2007. 

Fluor-Transurban is currently moving forward with engineering, operations plans and traffic and revenue studies.

This collective effort will lead to the development of a final scope for the project and ultimately determine whether or not it is a viable solution for the corridor.

Documents and Resources (PDFs)

• Frequently asked questions (40 KB)
• Letter from U.S. Department of the Treasury (35 KB)
Capital Beltway Traffic & Revenue Report (7 MB)

Maps (PDFs)

• Overview (406 KB)
• Interchanges (224 KB)
• Tysons Corner interchanges (899 KB)

Map of I-495 HOV/Bus/HOT
lanes. Click to enlarge.

links

• Agreements
• Advisory panel
  

Environmental

• Re-evaluation  March 30, 2007 (PDF, 13.7 MB)
• FHWA Record of Decision June 29, 2006 (PDF, 1.9 MB)
• Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) April 2006
• Noise barrier walls brochure (PDF, 3.5 MB)
  
  

News

2007:

VDOT Completes Agreement For Capital Beltway HOT Lanes

States Partner with Private Sector to Meet Transportation Needs, Council of State Governments, page 11

2005:

2004:

May 17
Panel Holds Next Meeting on Beltway HOT Lanes Proposal May 20