Monday, April 1, 2013
A special promotion is in effect April 6 and 7 to encourage travelers to try out the new express lanes.
Drivers this weekend can use the I-495 Beltway Express Lanes for free—no E-ZPass required. The free weekend, April 6 and 7, is part of an educational campaign to encourage Beltway drivers to try the new travel option on the Virginia side of the Capital Beltway and see how the Express Lanes can work for them, according to the 495 Express Lanes project. In addition to two full days of free travel, the Express Lanes will also lift the E-ZPass requirement. Drivers can travel on the Express Lanes with or without an E-ZPass and will not be charged a toll. At all other times, drivers are required to travel with an E-ZPass; carpoolers must have an E-ZPass Flex. Free Express Lanes travel is only available April 6 and 7 to two-axle vehicles. Free …
Monday, November 19, 2012
Police have responded to four crashes since new lanes opened Saturday, all around the Springfield-area northbound Express Lanes entrance.
If your commute includes I-495, Virginia State Police are encouraging commuters to plan in advance, especially during the Monday morning drive. Virginia State Police have responded to four crashes since the new lanes opened early Saturday morning, two of which have resulted in non-life threatening injuries. All four crashes occurred in about the same location: The northbound entrance of the I-495 Express Lanes near Springfield. As northbound motorists come upon the change in traffic patterns at the Express Lanes entrance, they have swerved or made lane changes to avoid the toll lanes, Virginia State Police said. State Police say that drivers are also stopping or backing up in an attempt to avoid the Express Lanes and to get into the …
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
New transponder switches between toll-free and toll-paying mode for the 495 HOT Lanes.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) officials announced Wednesday the launch of the EZ-Pass Flex transponder, a device that will allow high-occupancy vehicles to ride for free when the 495 Express Lanes open later this year. The beltway express lanes, which will run from the Dulles Toll Road (Route 267) exit to the I-95/395/495 interchange (the “mixing bowl”) will be free for all vehicles with three or more occupants. All drivers will need an EZ-Pass transponder to use the lanes. Drivers wishing to take advantage of the HOV toll-free option will have to purchase an EZ-Pass Flex. “Carpooling is an important priority in the commonwealth of Virginia,” said Charles Kilpatrick, VDOT’s chief deputy commissioner, encouraging all …
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Use alternate routes the weekend of June 22 - 25 and beyond on the "local lanes" side of the Outer Loop of the Beltway in the greater Alexandria area.
Update: This work was delayed until the weekend of June 22 - 25 due to weather. This weekend, workers from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project will be shifting the THRU/LOCAL lanes on the Outer Loop (I-495 eastbound), leaving only one single travel lane open on the local side for several weeks. The work may create backups over the weekend on the Outer Loop, and officials are very strongly encouraging drivers to avoid the construction area if they can. According to a release from the Virginia Megaprojects team: Weather permitting, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project is planning to shift the THRU/LOCAL split on the Capital Beltway Outer Loop the weekend of June 15-18 to just west of the Eisenhower Connector, after the Van Dorn exit in Virginia…
Neil Wolfe
12:51 pm on Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Correct me if I'm wrong but allowing everyone on the express lane for free will inevitably result in the express lane being more congested than it would be under the normal fee for use basis- seems to be perhaps wiser to go half price or something along those lines. In other words if everyone takes advantage of it then they'll experience congestion and not see the true value- it's like a … more ›