Offer your views on the I-95 HOT, HOV plan
Would you like to offer your input on the proposed high occupancy vehicle (HOV) and high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on Interstate 95 between Edsall Road in Fairfax County and Garrisonville Road in Stafford County?
VDOT is holding public hearings this week in Northern Virginia from 5-8 p.m.:
- Monday, Sept. 26, Botts Fire Hall, 1306 F Street, Woodbridge, VA 22191
- Wednesday, Sept. 28, Waterford at Springfield, 6715 Commerce Street, Springfield, VA 22150
- Thursday, Sept. 29, North Stafford High School, 839 Garrisonville Road, Stafford, VA 22554
You can offer oral or written comments at the hearings. Comments regarding the project design and environmental analysis should be sent to John Lynch, P.E., Regional Transportation Program Director, Virginia Megaprojects, 6363 Walker Lane, Suite 500, Alexandria, VA 22310 or to info@I-95hotlanes.com by Oct. 14 with “I-95 Joint Meetings” in the subject line.
You also can send comments about the I-95 Transit and TDM plan to Public Information Office, DRPT, 600 E. Main Street, Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219 or to drptpr@drpt.virginia.gov by Oct. 26, 2011.
To view these documents, visit http://www.vamegaprojects.com/faqsdocuments/#95HOT
According to a VDOT press release, the proposed I-95 HOV/HOT Lanes would:
- Provide a seamless connection to the I-495 HOT lanes (under construction) and Tysons Corner.
- Add new or improved access to and from the HOV/HOT network at key locations along the corridor.
- Expand the I-95 HOV lanes from two to three lanes for 14 miles, from the vicinity of Edsall Road to the Prince William Parkway.
- Extend the HOV lanes for nine miles, from Dumfries in Prince William County to Garrisonville Road in Stafford County, alleviating the worst bottleneck in the region. Stafford County would have HOV lanes for the first time.
- Improve six miles of existing HOV lanes from the Prince William Parkway to Route 234.
- Allow free travel for carpools with three or more persons as well as buses, vanpools, motorcycles and emergency vehicles.
- Charge single person vehicles a toll based on time of day and travel distance.
Construction could begin as early as spring 2012 and likely take three years to complete, according to VDOT.
CTB seeks input on $3B Transportation Plan
Route 7 at the Route 123 Interchange
Business owners, commuters and the general public are invited to offer their feedback following the General Assembly’s passage of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s transportation program that calls for $3 billion in new transportation funds.
The Commonwealth Transportation Board is holding public hearing across the state on the draft FY2012-2017 Draft Six-Year Improvement Program. After the hearings, the CTB is scheduled to vote on plan in June.
In Northern Virginia, a public hearing will take place 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, at VDOT’s Northern Virginia office at 4975 Alliance Drive, Suite 1N201 in Fairfax.
Written comments may be submitted via mail or email until May 27 to:
Public Information Office
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
600 E. Main St., Suite 2102
Richmond, VA 23219
drptpr@drpt.virginia.gov
According to the Washington Post, the plan would provide funds for these projects:
66 Gainesville to Haymarket – Add one HOV lane and one regular lane in each direction from Route 29 in Gainesville to Route 15 at Haymarket (three miles). A new interchange would be constructed at I-66 and Route 15. The $132 million project would begin in 2015 and take three years to complete.
I-66 active traffic management system – Spend $32 million to implement the latest traffic management technology to ease congestion on I-66. Implementation would begin in 2012.
I-395 HOV ramp at Seminary Road – Construction of a High Occupancy Vehicle ramp to the Mark Center. The $80 million project would begin in 2015. (This is a key proposal to ease traffic congestion likely to result from the addition of 6,400 employees to the Mark Center under the federal Base Realignment and Closure program, which is scheduled to be in place by Sept. 15.)
I-95 High Occupancy Toll lanes – Build 29 miles of HOT lanes on I-95 from Garrisonville Road in Stafford County to the vicinity of Edsall Road on I-395 in Fairfax County. The draft plan includes about $52 million from the state. The majority of funding for the project would come from the private sector. Construction could begin in 2012 and would take three years. Environmental review is underway and public information meetings will be held in the fall. (This project is far more controversial than the Capital Beltway HOT lanes now under construction.)
Route 7 in Fairfax County – Widen this key commuter route from four lanes to six lanes between Reston Avenue and the Dulles Toll Road (5.3 miles). The draft program includes $30 million for design, which would begin this fall. There’s no funding right now for right of way or construction. (The six-year plan doesn’t tell you something is a done deal. It tells you what’s in the pipeline.)
Route 7 at Sycolin Road in Leesburg – Construct a $21.6 million overpass to carry Sycolin Road over the Route 7 Bypass. Construction could begin in 2014.
Route 7 at Belmont Ridge Road in Loudoun County – Construct a $72 million interchange, possibly beginning in 2015. Loudoun County would design and construct the project, while VDOT would acquire the right of way.
Route 1 at Route 123 in Prince William County – The draft includes $35 million to widen Route 1 beginning in 2015. Phase two of the project, construction of the interchange, is not yet funded.
Route 123 in Fairfax – The draft includes $15 million to build a connection to George Mason West Campus Road.
Fairfax County Parkway – Construct a loop at Rolling Road. The draft plan includes $14 million toward the $25 million project. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2015.
Battlefield Parkway Extension in Leesburg – Extend the parkway for one mile. Construction on the $11 million project would begin in 2015.
