“The fall 2024 opening date for the 95 Express Lanes Opitz Boulevard ramp was communicated to stakeholders in an update sent earlier this summer and reflects the contractor’s current schedule,” said Jacqueline Woodbridge, a spokeswoman for Transurban. She noted that the delay resulted from a shift in the contractor’s schedule, which can be affected by various factors, including weather conditions.
Potomac Local News has received emails from frustrated drivers who live near the work zone.
I reside nearby the project being built that will connect Opitz boulevard to the I-95 express lane boondoggle. I am not happy to learn that this ramp which was originally supposed to open in July is now supposed to open in November.
I am sick and tired of the disruption and the lack of transparency and the delays. My neighbors are as well.
Woodbridge acknowledged the frustration caused by construction-related congestion and delays but emphasized the new ramp’s benefits. “We are looking forward to providing faster, more reliable trips on the Express Lanes for southern Prince William County this November,” she said.
The Opitz Boulevard ramp is part of ongoing efforts to enhance the transportation infrastructure in the area. We’ve been reporting on a $53 million parking garage set to open near the new ramp behind Wegmans grocery store at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center. The garage opening is also delayed but is now slated to occur in October.
The 1,400-parking-space garage will become a transit hub for eastern Prince William County. OmniRide will shift its bus operations from its nearby headquarters on Telegraph Road to the garage, and riders will use the garage instead of the transit center’s headquarters building as a transfer point.
From the latest Transurban shareholder report:
North America Toll Revenue and Infrastructure Developments
In FY24, North America’s toll revenue showed significant growth, increasing by 8.7% to $252 million. Traffic across the region also rose by 5.5%, contributing to this revenue growth. The EBITDA margin for the North American market reached 66.9%.
Greater Washington Area Infrastructure Updates
Several key infrastructure projects were highlighted in the Greater Washington Area:
Fredericksburg Extension: The construction of the Fredericksburg Extension was completed, following the opening of the roadway in August 2023. Additional access points are set to open in December 2023. This project extended the two-lane reversible facility by approximately 16 kilometers, making the 95 Express Lanes the longest reversible road in the United States.
495 NEXT Project: Construction activity on the 495 NEXT project has intensified, with work on roadways, bridges, and walls now 50% complete. The project is scheduled for completion and opening in December 2025.
Opitz Boulevard Project: This project is expected to open in November 2024. It will provide Express Lanes access to residential and commercial areas, as well as to a major hospital and medical center.
Bi-Directional Travel on 95 Express Lanes: Discussions with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) are ongoing regarding the addition of bi-directional travel on a segment of the 95 Express Lanes. Design planning for this initiative is currently underway.
Greater Montreal Area Highlights
Electric Vehicle Traffic: Electric vehicle traffic in the Greater Montreal Area increased from 11.7% to 15.6% of total traffic. The Quebec government has extended the free toll program for electric vehicles until April 2027.
Community Contributions
The company made its fifth annual contribution to the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s Commuter Choice Program, bringing total investments in transit projects to nearly $80 million. These investments have supported the development of bus lines, park-and-ride lots, and commuter rail improvements throughout the 95 Express Lanes corridor.
Future Market Opportunities
Looking ahead, the company is assessing several market opportunities:
Bi-Directional Travel on 95 Express Lanes: Feasibility assessments are ongoing for adding bi-directional travel on a segment of the 95 Express Lanes. Currently, the lanes operate northbound in the morning and southbound in the evening on weekdays.
495 Express Lanes Southern Extension: VDOT is evaluating the 495 Express Lanes Southern Extension, with the environmental analysis expected to conclude by late 2024. A Federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) decision is anticipated by then, with potential inclusion in the region’s transportation plan by late 2025.
Howdy, Potomac Local readers! The Lane Ranger here with an important update for your late-night commutes.
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Initially estimated at $53 million, the project now stands at around $55 million, with construction progress reaching nearly 70%. Todd Barton, overseeing the project, explains the challenges faced during construction, notably installing five soil retaining walls to accommodate the structure.
“The site is very challenging,” Barton remarks. “In order to get the structure itself in, we had to install five soil retaining walls.”
Despite some delays, the project is moving forward, with additional security enhancements and amenities being incorporated. Elnour Adam, at the county’s transportation department, outlined these enhancements, including security cameras on all levels and the addition of electric vehicle charging stations, which now total 70, or 5% of the 1,400 parking spaces in the structure.
The garage should open in October, about four months behind schedule.
Regional transportation provider OmniRide envisions the garage as a transportation hub for eastern Prince William County and plans to integrate eight bus stops with shelters. Mary Ankers, also with the county’s department, discussed the garage’s accessibility features and stressed its importance for commuters in the area.
“They’re going to have eight bus stops with bus shelters,” Ankers explains. “And they’ll also be kiss and ride. Our friends at Transurban [the firm that manages the Interstate 95 E-ZPass Express Lanes] are also opening that new ramp to Opitz [Boulevard to provide better access to the garage].”
The project marks a significant undertaking for the county Department of Transportation, representing their first vertical project. Spread across ten acres, the garage is poised to become a vital asset for commuters in the region. Additionally, the county plans to sell approximately two acres of adjacent land to a developer, further enhancing the area’s development prospects.
The garage will be the second parking public garage in Prince William County, behind the Woodbridge Virginia Railway Express station. IKEA maintains a private garage at Potomac Mills.
New Ramp at Opitz Boulevard
Transurban’s new ramp at Opitz Boulevard will directly link commuters to the E-ZPass Express Lanes. Jacqueline Woodbridge, a spokesperson for Transurban, provided insights into the project, emphasizing its role in streamlining traffic flow and improving commuter accessibility.
“The ramp aims to provide direct access to the 95 express lanes from Opitz Boulevard,” Woodbridge stated. “Previously, travelers had to merge into the general-purpose lanes and utilize a slip ramp near Dale Boulevard. However, with the new ramp, commuters will experience a seamless transition onto the express lanes, enhancing overall travel efficiency.”
Woodbridge elaborated on the ramp’s configuration, likening it to existing structures such as those found at Franconia-Springfield Parkway and Seminary Road in Fairfax County. The ramp will feature a reversible lane structure, facilitating smooth transitions for commuters traveling northbound and southbound.
In addition to ramp construction, Opitz Boulevard enhancements are underway. Sidewalks are being built along the boulevard to improve pedestrian access—a much-needed addition to the area’s infrastructure.
The ramp should be done by June the end of the year, and the new sidewalks on Opitz Boulevard that are part of the ramp project should be finished by June. Woodbridge underscored the project’s alignment with broader initiatives to promote multimodal connectivity.
“This project underscores Transurban’s commitment to enhancing transit infrastructure,” Woodbridge emphasized. “We are proud to contribute to initiatives that promote multimodal connectivity and facilitate smoother travel experiences for commuters.”
Woodbridge also provided insights into the usage of the Express Lanes, noting a significant increase in traffic volumes on Interstate 95. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, traffic on the express lanes has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, showcasing these vital transportation corridors’ continued relevance and utility.
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Today, drivers bound for the E-ZPass Express Lanes in Woodbridge found them closed later in the morning than usual.
Lane closures related to the Opitz Boulevard girder erection project were extended until 6 a.m. At the start of rush hour, significant traffic delays were expected. Drivers were encouraged to use alternate routes if possible.
All lanes were reopened about 7 a.m.
Only one lane of traffic was open on the I-95 general purpose lanes, from mile marker 155, near the Dale City rest area to near Prince William Parkway. Southbound traffic had been diverted to the collector/distributor lanes at exit 156.
The Express Lanes from Route 17 to Prince William County Parkway were closed as part of the work to add a new ramp from the E-ZPass lanes to Opitz Boulevard, near Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.
The E-Pass lanes take drivers north to Washington, D.C., in the mornings. Then, each afternoon, they close the entryways into the lanes to allow a reverse flow of traffic and reopen the lanes for drivers headed from Washington to Fredericksburg.
To conduct disaster recovery testing, the Interstate 95/395 E-ZPass Lanes will undergo a double-reversal overnight from March 22 to March 23, 2024. Transurban will conduct two successive reversals of the Express Lanes from midnight to 4:15 a.m.
March 23, 2024
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In the plan, there will be two lanes heading in the rush hour direction and one the opposite way. The details for this more accessible travel plan, as are many other factors, including construction, are still in the works.
Will they be able to fit another lane into the current E-ZPass Lanes space without widening the existing highway? It’s one of the things Transurban and VDOT are looking at.
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With a road project as significant as the Interstate 66 Express Lanes, having an office open to the public is ideal for those wanting to ask questions to an actual person and discuss future initiatives that impact hundreds of thousands of people in the I-66 corridor.
There is a certain level of complications, too, with the switchable HOV E-ZPass, so an office along I-66 outside the beltway is ideal. Only it’s not open and doesn’t appear to be in operation.
Is it all just for show?
One I-66 E-ZPass Express Lanes driver, identified on Facebook as Lesser Will, showed up at an office on Balls Ford Road near Gainesville to inquire about the rules recently and the pricey tickets that are sent to the so-called violators, and the office was like a ghost town. (insert the echoing HE-LLL-OOOOOO reverberating off the canyon walls here)
“When I got there, I saw no dumpsters or work trucks, which are typically prevalent when you are having work done on a building. In fact, the lobby, which is referenced as being worked in, looks pretty untouched,” states Lesser Will, who also posted photos of a seemingly empty office in the Western Prince William Chatter Facebook Group.
When a driver is initially charged with a toll violation, they are charged the toll plus a $1.80 fee if they pay within five days of the violation. If they pay after five days but less than 35 days, the fee is $12.50. Between 45 and 89 days, the fee goes up to $25; after 90 days, the fee is $100. It gets worse 180 or more days after missed toll (court proceedings): $100 fee + toll + court fees + civil penalties, all set by Virginia law.
In this case, the driver had the “EZ-Pass Flex,” an EZ-Pass with the HOV option. He had it switched off so the toll would be charged, but he got a ticket anyway. In his case, the empty, dark office was a disappointment.
I-66 Mobility Partners operates the office, which spokeswoman Nancy Smith said is temporarily closed to the public while the walk-in customer service center is renovated. That center is the only office near the Balls Ford Rd park-and-ride lot on I-66 in Manassas.
“We look forward to re-opening it as soon as possible,” she said via email. The information is posted at the building’s entrance and on their website, ride66express.com.
On that website, an orange banner at the top states, “66 Express Outside the Beltway Service Center is closed until further notice for walk-in customers due to area improvements/renovations.”
In the meantime, she recommends, “Our Customer Service Team is continuing to meet with customers by appointment, and our agents are answering calls to 1-833-643-2867 within 45 seconds on average. We remain committed to assisting all our customers with their questions and concerns.”
“It was crazy,” said Brandon Taylor, the father who helped with his wife, Joan, as the express lanes traffic whizzed by. “You hear the stories, but you never know someone that went through it.”
It all started about 5:45 on Tuesday morning, January 30, 2024, when Joan could feel the baby stirring. She woke up, woke Brandon, and he went into his pre-rehearsed motions, grabbing the baby bag they had ready and getting their three-year-old son out of bed. “Twenty minutes later, we were on the highway, and it was happening,” Brandon said.
They were on the I-66 express lanes heading east when he pulled over near mile marker 46 at Gainesville and ran around to her door. “As soon as I got over there, I saw crowing, the baby’s head coming out,” he said.
Cars rushed by, and when Prince William County emergency crews and a Virginia State Police officer showed up, “I had the baby in my hands,” he said.
He was grateful there were trained technicians on the scene. “They took over from there,” he said. Brandon’s three-year-old son in the back seat was wide-eyed the whole time, but when the emergency squad arrived, one took care of the youngster, too.
The Virginia State Police Trooper M. Weinholtz was on the scene with the EMT squad.
“Just as the State Trooper pulled up, little Miss Audrey arrived as well,” said Taylor.
Baby Audrey, along with mom and dad, made it safely to the hospital, and all are doing great – especially with Virginia State Police Trooper Teddy watching out for them, the statewide police agency posted to X (formerly Twitter).
When officials at the I-66 E-ZPass Express Lanes learned about the roadside birth, they couldn’t have been happier. The lanes came in handy despite some of the initial pushback they’ve gotten for some expensive tolls.
“Our team takes pride in being able to play a role in ensuring the safety of our community in such unique and unexpected situations,” said Nancy Smith, Corporate Affairs Director at I-66 Express Mobility Partners.
Afterward, the family went by Prince William County Fire Station 22, off Balls Ford Road, to thank the officers involved.
The Virginia Department of Transportation and I-66 Express Mobility Partners opened the final leg of the I-66 E-ZPass Express Lanes “outside the Beltway” on Tuesday, November 2022.
Billed as a timesaver, the 23-mile stretch of toll lanes from Route 29 in Gainesville to the Capital Beltway allows vehicles with three or more occupants to travel the express lanes for free and vehicles with fewer passengers to pay a toll. All drivers need an E-ZPass or E-ZPass Flex to use the lanes.
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