The Interstate 395 Express Lanes between Fairfax County, Va., and Washington, D.C. opened Sunday. The $475 million project extends Express Lanes by eight miles and operates like Express Lanes on I-95 and I- 495.
The lanes are expected to save drivers approximately 30 minutes during morning rush hour and to generate $15 million annually in toll revenue.
The project was completed on time and on budget and was a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban, the company that operates the I-95 and I-495 Express Lanes.
“This is the latest example of Virginia’s commitment to provide transportation solutions that work for everyone,” Shannon Valentine, secretary of transportation, said. “We have forged partnerships and designed projects that can deliver options for commuters. Virginia carpoolers and buses get the free-flowing travel they deserve, a single commuter can choose to pay for a more reliable trip, and the communities along the 395 Corridor will see consistent, year-over-year investment in transit paid for by toll revenue.”
Other improvements made during the project include rehabilitating 14 bridges, a new bus and a commuter lane at the Pentagon’s South Parking lot to enhance traffic flow, and an additional lane that gives drivers three free-flowing, reversible lanes.