Virginia Express Lanes To Be Extended To American Legion Bridge

MCLEAN, VA—Gov. Ralph Northam said Tuesday the state has made new agreements with Express Lanes operator Transurban for a Capital Beltway extension and other projects.

The 2.5-mile extension of the 495 Express Lanes will go from Dulles Toll Road to the American Legion Bridge at the Maryland border. Each direction will have four regular lanes and two new Express Lanes. The extension will have direct connections to the George Washington Memorial Parkway and Dulles Toll Road.

The project will not require state funding. Officials say the project aims to reduce congestion and cut-through traffic on local McLean streets.

The Express Lane extension would have to undergo an environmental study by the Virginia Department of Transportation. There is no estimated timeline for the project, but construction could start as soon as 2020. According to WTOP, Maryland is working on plans to add its own Express Lanes across the American Legion Bridge and beyond on 495.

Along with the Express Lane extension around McLean, other Transurban projects are moving forward. A 10-mile extension of 95 Express Lanes to Fredericksburg could see construction begin this year. An auxiliary lane will also be constructed on Interstate 95 in Woodbridge to tackle congestion on the Occoquan Bridge.

The state anticipates there will be 90 connected miles of Express Lanes in Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg by 2022.

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