Beltway Southside Express Lanes Study To Be Discussed At Meetings

ALEXANDRIA, VA — As the Virginia Department of Transportation and other agencies study the potential extension of Capital Beltway Express Lanes in Northern Virginia, public meetings will be held to share more information.

VDOT and partners conducting an environmental study on an 11-mile Express Lanes extension from the Springfield interchange to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge at the Maryland state line. The Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge had first opened in May 2008 and has a design leaving extra space for future transportation needs such as transit.

The current Capital Beltway (Interstate 495) Express Lanes run from the Springfield interchange north to just beyond the Dulles Toll Road alongside regular I-495 lanes. A 2.5-mile Express Lanes extension project has begun from Dulles Toll Road to the George Washington Memorial Parkway in McLean. Maryland is seeking to advance its own project to rebuild the American Legion Bridge and adding Express Lanes on a portion of I-495 and I-270 in Montgomery County.

The environmental study on the southside Express Lanes extension is being done with the Federal Highway Administration and other agencies in Virginia and Maryland. The study began in January, and a public hearing on the environmental study results is expected in spring or summer 2023 with approvals expected in fall 2023 or winter 2024. A Transit and Transportation Demand Management Study will also be done by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation in coordination with the Maryland Transit Administration.

Residents can learn more at a virtual meeting or in-person meetings. The virtual meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18 with a presentation at 7 p.m. To join the meeting, click this link and use meeting ID 2429 565 9815 and password 7TftMBpSr72. To join by phone, call 1-517-466-2023 (toll) or 1-866-692-4530 (toll-free) with access code 242 956 59815.

In-person meetings will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with a presentation at 7 p.m.:

• Thursday, May 19: Oxon Hill High School, 6701 Leyte Drive, Oxon Hill, MD 20745
• Monday, May 23: John R. Lewis High School, 6540 Franconia Road, Springfield, VA 22150
• Wednesday, May 25: Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center, 1108 Jefferson Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

Visit the study web page for more information.