I-95/395 southbound HOV lanes to open earlier on weekdays starting July 7

On or about Monday, July 7, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will open the southbound High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-95/395 no later than noon, rather than 1 p.m. The HOV lanes will close to northbound traffic at 10 a.m., instead of 11 a.m., Mondays through Fridays, and open to southbound traffic an hour earlier. The one-hour earlier opening of southbound HOV lanes will be in effect until the end of the summer to help ease congestion on I-95 South, according to a news release from the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance.

VDOT has reviewed the potential impacts of adding northbound HOV traffic to the regular lanes on I-95/395 North, and does not expect any significant delays. VDOT will monitor conditions during this temporary change, and make adjustments as needed.

Major construction is underway along Northern Virginia’s heavily-traveled I-395/95 corridor, requiring lane closures with potential traffic impacts. The 95 Express Lanes project, which spans from Garrisonville Road in Stafford County to north of I-495, is in its final six months of construction. Additionally, work is fully ramped up on the I-95 Shoulder Improvement project in Prince William County, as well as the I-395 North Auxiliary Lane project in Alexandria.

The Alliance Alert is a free online update on regional transportation issues and public involvement opportunities provided by the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance. For more information on regional transportation issues and NVTA, go to http://www.nvta.org.