View Proposed Design of I-95 Widening at Public Hearing Thursday Evening

Area residents will undoubtedly be affected in one way or another by the upcoming widening of southbound I-95 in Stafford County.

Therefore the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is inviting interested citizens to attend a public hearing on the design of the widening project Thursday evening, March 24.

According to VDOT, construction of a fourth travel lane on I-95 will be built between I-95 mile marker 143 and 2,250 feet south of a new, relocated I-95 interchange at exit 140 (Courthouse Road).

The fourth lane would begin at the end of the southbound exit from the 95 Express Lanes Southern Terminus Extension project. This project will construct an approximate 2.2 miles of reversible extension of the Express Lanes.

The fourth lane would be open to all traffic in the general purpose lanes of I-95 southbound, VDOT said.

Construction is anticipated to occur within the existing right-of-way. As part of this project, new sound walls are being proposed along the general purpose lanes within the VDOT right-of-way.

The hearing is scheduled to take place from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Colonial Forge High School, 550 Courthouse Road in Stafford. If weather disrupts, the hearing will be rescheduled for the same time and place on Tuesday, April 5.

Members of the public are invited to stop by anytime between the hours of 5 and 7 p.m. to review displays and plans and talk with VDOT staff about the proposed design. No formal presentation will be made.

Written and oral comments will also be accepted at the hearing. Comments can be mailed to Michelle Shropshire, VDOT Project Manager, 87 Deacon Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22405, or e-mailed to fredericksburginfo@VDOT.Virginia.Gov. All comments must be received by March 31.

For additional information on the I-95 widening project, visit the project page on VDOT's website.