Ground broken on a hot day for 29 miles of HOT lanes on Interstate 95

Groundbreaking for the I-95 Express Lanes project took place this morning, Tuesday, Aug. 7, at the Dale City rest area on I-95. Members of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors along with Governor Bob McDonnell, and federal and state leaders helped with the festivities.

The ceremony signaled the start of a new public-private transportation project that officials believe will improve drive times for Prince William County residents and significantly improve commute opportunities through Northern Virginia, according to County government news release.

Corey A. Stewart, Chairman, Prince William Board of County Supervisors, was quoted as saying, ““We have worked diligently with the state and the private sector to help bring to light a project that provides our businesses with greater access to the Washington, DC market and our residents with greater commuting options along I-95 and I-495.”

According to Stewart, the HOT lanes solution “will reduce commute times, increase slugging opportunities and minimize the cost to the taxpayers.”

The I-95 Express Lanes are high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, which means high occupancy vehicles (HOV-3+) such as carpools, vans and buses will have free access to the lanes. Drivers with fewer than three people may pay a toll to use the lanes.

When completed, the project will create approximately 29 miles of HOV/HOT lanes on I-95 from Garrisonville Road in Stafford County from below Quantico to north of Occoquan in Prince William County, to the Edsall Road area on I-395 in Fairfax County.

It will extend nine miles of existing HOV lanes from Dumfries to Garrisonville Road in Stafford County, which officials believe alleviate one of the region’s worst traffic backups. It will also expand existing HOV lanes from two to three lanes for 14 miles from Prince William Parkway to the vicinity of Edsall Road on I-395. Operational improvements will be made to the existing two HOV lanes for six miles from Route 234 to Prince William Parkway.

For more information on the project, go to http://www.95expresslanes.com/