Interstates 95/395 HOV/Bus/HOT Lanes Projects

On Sept. 24, 2003, an unsolicited proposal was submitted under the Public Private Transportation Act of 1995 by a joint venture of the Clark Construction Group Inc., Shirley Contracting Company LLC and Koch Performance Roads Inc. to develop, finance, design and construct new high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, from approximately Interstate 95 to Route 17.

The conceptual proposal was posted for 120 days beginning Nov. 18, 2003, and ending March 17, 2004.

During the posting period, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) received one competing proposal from Fluor Virginia Inc. dated March 1, 2004.

This conceptual proposal, submitted in association with a host of private entities, provides for the development, financing, design, construction, operations and maintenance of I-95/395 Bus Rapid Transit/HOT Lanes System (BRT/HOT).

The Fluor proposal expands and/or extends the I-95/395 HOV lanes from the 14th Street Bridge to Massaponax and provides a transit component which links Massaponax to Dulles Toll Road corridor and other transit facilities in the Northern Virginia area.

The proposals were reviewed by an initial review committee, which considered the proposers’ qualifications and the proposals’ technical and financial feasibility. Based on their findings, the initial review committee recommended the concepts to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) for approval.

On Jan. 20, 2005, the CTB approved both concepts and recommended them for further review and evaluation by an advisory panel comprised of individuals having the appropriate expertise and knowledge to objectively evaluate and analyze which projects would promote the transportation goals and are in the public’s best interest.

On April 20, 2005, the advisory panel began its study of the proposals.

The panel included the agency’s chief financial officer and chief engineer, an engineering representative from the academic community and members of the CTB.

On Nov. 8, 2005, the advisory panel recommended that VDOT move forward with Fluor’s proposal.

On Dec. 7, 2005, after reviewing the competitive negotiations, the secretary of transportation agreed that the proposal consisted of a public-private partnership.

On Dec. 19, 2005, VDOT’s commissioner decided to move forward with the public-private partnership with Fluor.

On Feb. 1, 2006, negotiation of the interim agreement was initiated.

On Oct. 24, 2006, VDOT and Fluor-Transurban signed an interim agreement to advance the I-95/395 HOV/Bus/HOT Lanes project. Fluor-Transurban is moving forward with preliminary engineering, operations plans, and traffic and revenue studies.

VDOT and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation hosted a series of citizen information meetings along the I-95/395 corridor July 23 – 30, 2007, to educate the public about the I-95/395 HOV/Bus/High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes project.

The meetings were used to collect public comments as part of the continuing National Environmental Policy Act review for this project.
 
VDOT is currently working with the Federal Highway Administration to complete the project's required federal environmental review, while the private partner, Fluor-Transurban, moves forward with preliminary 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.

If a final agreement is reached between VDOT and Fluor-Transurban, construction on the northern section could begin in late 2008 and take two to three years to complete. Construction on the southern section could begin as early as late 2009.

The next public information meetings are tentatively scheduled for mid-2008.  Additional public input opportunities are planned throughout the project’s development.