VDOT Completes I-95, I-495 Telegraph Road Interchange

Against the back drop of free-flowing traffic, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) held a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday afternoon for the completion of the I-95/I-495 Telegraph Road Interchange. The $265 million project includes 11 new bridges and flyover ramps.

"This is an example of Virginia leading the way in improving its highway infrastructure, and ultimately the quality of life for citizens and drivers," said Sean Connaughton, Virginia's secretary of transportation. "This critical link in our Capital Beltway's transportation network provides more efficient travel for the thousands of drivers traveling through the Telegraph Road area each day and also provides new benefits to pedestrians and bicyclists using a new path linking Fairfax County and Alexandria's busy Eisenhower Valley."

Connaughton explained during the ceremony that, like many other residents, he has experienced congestion and small accidents on Telegraph Road in the past, telling the small audience that he and his daughter have both been rear-ended in separate incidents on that strip of road.

"The new interchange is the result of years of hard work and collaboration between the project team and our partners, local officials and the nearby communities," state VDOT's Regional Transportation Directo and Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project Manager, John Lynch. "This state-of-the-art interchange showcases the high level of quality and commitment that defines VDOT's work on all of the megaprojects in the region."

Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay agreed that the interchange was needed, admitting he has been stuck in traffic on Telegraph Road before, causing him to be late for meetings or other appointments. During the ceremony, Sharon Bulova, Chairman for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, said she's never experienced accidents on the road, but the interchange will provide a more free-flowing traffic pace in the highly traveled area, which also receives just as much air traffic daily.

Also in attendance was Alexandria Mayor William Euille, who said the new interchange is helpful in getting travelers from Telegraph Road to Eisenhower Valley and into the City of Alexandria.

Construction of the Telegraph Road Interchange started after the opening of the second new span of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in 2008. The interchange was constructed by a joint venture of Corman and Kiewit construction companies, according to a recent news release. The completion of the project marks a major transportation improvement for both local and interstate traffic in a heavily traveled area.

The Telegraph Road Interchange provides increased vehicle capacity, and safer and more efficient travel through a series of connecting bridges and ramps. The project also expanded approximately 2.5 miles of lane on I-495 to tie into the corridor's thru- and local lane configuration, according to VDOT.