More Relief In Sight for the I-95/395 Travelers?
Last month Governor McAuliffe announced that the 95 Express Lanes will be extended eight miles north on I-395 from Turkeycock Run to the DC line. Existing I-395 HOV lanes will be expanded by one lane and converted to dynamically tolled express lanes — tolled for SOV and free for HOV3, and transit. The project will also provide dedicated funding for enhanced transit in the corridor.
Environmental and transportation demand management studies must first be conducted but if all goes as scheduled construction could begin in 2017 with the lanes opening in 2019.
A similar opportunity, including millions for transit, existed nearly a decade ago and I-395 Express Lanes and new transit services would be operational today, but for parochial opposition.
Conversion of I-395 HOV lanes is a longstanding Alliance priority. As we have seen with the addition of the I-95 and I-495 Express Lanes, the 395 Express Lanes will not only provide 24/7 reliable travel times and free-flowing lanes for automobiles and enhanced bus transit but also means better travel times in the general purpose lanes.
Elected leaders throughout the region and across the aisle must put parochialism and partisanship aside and continue to work together for transportation solutions that get our region moving, not just during the peak periods, but in the off-peak hours and weekends as well, because….