More than a year later, still no posted toll lanes travel times

It’s been more than a year since Virginia State Senator Jeremy McPike was promised a review of what it would take to add estimated travel times to toll lanes on Northern Virginia’s highways.

So far, estimated toll lanes travel times have been added to only one sign — an electronic message board erected over Prince William Parkway just before Old Bridge Road — as part of a test project.

The serves as a heads up for drivers bound for Interstate 95 of travel conditions on the highway.

It’s not unlike signs that are posted on highways that display estimated travel times or the general purpose lanes, but not toll lanes.

In 2017, McPike was adamant about these travel times be posted in toll lanes and drafted legislation that would require such times to be posted above the toll lanes. 

The thought was if drivers are going to part with their hard-earned cash for a more predictable trip, they should know how much time to expect to spend using the lanes. But McPike withdrew the bill and issued a statement with promises then Virginia Transportation Secretary Layne that VDOT would work to address this issue in the coming year.

Today, Lane is no longer the state’s transportation secretary, and McPike didn’t reintroduce the legislation this year.

McPike and I-95 E-ZPass Express Lanes spokesman Micheal McGurk said drivers could find the same information on apps on their phones before they drive.

From McGurk:

“Today drivers have many options to estimate travel times. In addition to VDOT tools such as 511, widely used and freely available mobile apps such as Google Maps and Waze estimate travel times on both the regular and express lanes. Our research shows customers are familiar with these tools and use them to help plan their travel. A research study of 1,700 D.C. area drivers last year by KRC Research, found that among our customers who pay a toll at least once a month, six in 10 check traffic apps or websites most times—if not every time—when deciding if they want to use the 495 or 95 Express Lanes.”

Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Michelle Holland said VDOT uses private firm INRIX, which provides the travel time data posted to overhead signs.

On work ramps up on toll lanes on I-66 outside the Beltway, some of the existing travel time signs may come down.

Holland states via email:

“Currently travel times to destinations such as the Vienna Metro, I-495, D.C., Route 28, Gainesville and Haymarket are displayed on over a dozen signs along I-66 and on connecting arteries such as Routes 234, 28, 50 and 123. VDOT plans to continue doing so during and after construction on available DMS signs. Some of the signs may have to come down during construction.

For drivers traveling on I-66 Inside the Beltway Express Lanes, comparison travel times to D.C. via I-66 versus US Route 50 are posted daily from 5:30 – 9:30 a.m. on an overhead sign located immediately east of the Nutley St. interchange. This sign has been activated since the Express Lanes opened in early December 2017.”

Estimated travel time signs could be added to the toll lanes on I-66, she adds.

McPike did have a legislative victory regarding the toll lanes this session. A bill that bars the operators of toll lanes from charging E-ZPass users extra fees if they haven’t used the toll lanes in less than one year is waiting on the governor’s signature.