Life In The Hot Lane

If you’ve driven on the Beltway recently you know construction of the high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes has begun. The construction, which will continue until 2013, will add new lanes to the Beltway for a fourteen-mile stretch between the Springfield interchange and Old Dominion Drive. The new HOT lanes will ultimately be the four center lanes of the Beltway. Extensive work is planned for the bridges that carry Braddock Road and Little River Turnpike traffic over the Beltway. At each interchange new eastbound and westbound bridges will be built. The construction plan for the I-495/Little River Turnpike interchange follows:

Phase 1: 2008­–2009 Fairfax

  • Construct new eastbound bridge adjacent to and south of existing eastbound bridge.

Phase 2: 2009–2010

  • Shift eastbound traffic to new bridge; shift westbound traffic on old eastbound bridge.
  • Demolish old westbound bridge.
  • Build new westbound bridge.

Phase 3: 2010–2011

  • Westbound traffic is placed on a new westbound bridge.
  • Existing eastbound bridge is demolished.

Construction is set to begin soon.

The northeast loop ramp at Braddock Road and 495 has been cleared and will be a staging area to support HOT lane construction until the project is complete in early 2013.

Buses and carpools of three or more riders can use the HOT lanes at no charge while others can choose to pay a toll that will vary according to traffic volume. When asked what the toll rate might be under varying conditions Steve Titunik, spokesman for the Virginia Department of Transportation, wrote “Toll rates can indeed approach and exceed $1 a mile.  Can go perhaps to 3-4.  Again, congestion will dictate price. They need to maintain 45 MPH, to do that they will raise rates electronically, moment by moment as traffic dictates.  I do think routinely in the $1-2 a mile in high peak hours is possible. The key will be for people to use future bus routes and car pools/van polls. Also, with an expected capacity increase in both directions in all lanes (both GP and HOTs) we will have an increase of 30% capacity. Thus, more folks in buses, car/van polls, less folks on GP lanes. All motorists, regardless of mode of travel will have a better ride on the beltway due to choices that don’t exist today. It’s all about choice…”

For comparison, tolls for HOT lanes being constructed in the San Francisco Bay area are expected to be between 60 cents and $1 per mile. In Seattle, Washington, tolls on their nine-mile stretch of HOT lanes are 95 cents per mile during peak hours.

Here are some resources to help you manage your commute and stay on top of this project as it progresses:

www.virginiahotlanes.com
www.virginiadot.org

To receive periodic e-mail updates about the Virginia HOT Lanes projects, including upcoming construction activity and lane closures visit
www.virginiahotlanes.com/stay-informed.asp

Happy motoring.
Derrick Chamlee