Express lanes to open along Fredericksburg I-95 corridor

(The Center Square) — A ribbon cutting this week will commemorate something that Stafford County residents and D.C.-area commuters have long awaited – sometimes impatiently, while cursing out their car windows: The opening of approximately 10 miles of express lanes along the infamously congested I-95 corridor.

The District of Columbia was ranked the eighth-worst American city for traffic in U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 rankings and has ranked second-worst in the past. And the southbound stretch of I-95 is chief among D.C. roads notorious for gridlocks and traffic delays, according to the National Capital Region Transportation Board.

Prior to the construction being completed, the corridor between Fredericksburg and D.C. had only three lanes in each direction. The express lanes will function as northbound toll roads in the mornings when commuters drive into D.C. and southbound toll roads in the evenings when commuters return home.

Carpooling travelers will not have to pay a toll.

The project has not required significant public investment, as road operator Transurban – which also manages the I-395 and I-495 express lanes – has taken on the project’s funding and execution. The total expected cost is $670 million.

- Advertisement -

“The commonwealth incurs some costs in the oversight of the project, but not in the asset itself,” said Jacqueline Woodbridge, a spokesperson for the company.

Transurban says the lanes will “provide 66% more capacity during peak periods and will move 30% more people and 23% more vehicles compared to [its prior] condition.”

The I-95 express lanes Fredericksburg extension, coined “Fred-Ex,” will open at 10 pm on Thursday. The extension currently only has access points near the Garrisonville Road interchange and at its southern terminus, but two additional access points will be added later this year.

“The project has a phased approach to get more people moving faster, sooner,” Woodbridge said. “Construction is continuing during the mainline opening to complete the last two access points.”

Baruch Feigenbaum, senior managing director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation, shared his thoughts on the extension with The Center Square, explaining that traffic in the corridor is a more complicated problem than it was decades ago when traffic was more one-sided and only heavy during the week. Now, managed lanes perpetually operating in both directions would be most convenient for drivers, but that’s harder said than done, according to Feigenbaum.

“That runs into some challenges with costs, with right of way, and with engineering and geometric design. Given the challenges in the corridor, this was the best solution,” Feigenbaum said.

spot_img
spot_img

Hot this week

African and Caribbean Nations Call for Reparations for Slave Trade, Propose Global Fund

Nations across Africa and the Caribbean, deeply impacted by...

Sports betting expert offers advice on paying taxes for gambling winnings

(The Center Square) – Tax season is underway, and...

Health care company agrees to pay $22.5 million to settle claims of over billing

A health care company agreed to pay nearly $22.5...

Entertainment district benefits don’t outweigh the cost, economists say

(The Center Square) — Weeks later, after more details...

Business association ‘disappointed’ by WA L&I’s proposed workers comp rate hike

(The Center Square) – The Association of Washington Business...

Trump admin backs GOP AGs in asset managers that experts say threatens coal industry

(The Center Square) – The antitrust lawsuit led by...

WATCH: A House budget divided

(The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives...

North Carolina vehicle fuel, charging prices better national norms

(The Center Square) – Transportation energy prices are only...

Op-Ed: The importance of human oversight in AI-driven reporting

AI is transforming how we produce, consume, and distribute...

Democrats, Republicans find unity on big pharma reform

(The Center Square) – A U.S. Senate hearing to...

More like this
Related

Judge holds off ruling in lawsuit targeting Tacoma’s rent control measure

(The Center Square) – No ruling has been made...

Trump admin backs GOP AGs in asset managers that experts say threatens coal industry

(The Center Square) – The antitrust lawsuit led by...

WATCH: A House budget divided

(The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives...

North Carolina vehicle fuel, charging prices better national norms

(The Center Square) – Transportation energy prices are only...