Thursday, October 10, 2013

Governor Bob McDonnell Announces 95 Express Lanes Construction Reaches Mid-Point

English: An example of a collector/express tra...
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
 On-Track for Completion in Late 2014; Will Open to Traffic in Early 2015
Large Steel Operations Scheduled to be Complete by End of Year

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that construction of the I-95 Express Lanes project is halfway complete and on-schedule to be completed by late 2014. The 95 Express Lanes will open to traffic in early 2015.  Since breaking ground in August 2012, significant progress has been made on building new bridges, ramps, and lanes throughout the entire 29-mile Express Lanes corridor, which spans from I-395 near Edsall Road in Fairfax County to I-95 near Route 610/Garrisonville Road in Stafford County, Va.

In the coming weeks, crews will complete the last major steel lifts within the project corridor, including beams for the future flyover ramp across I-95 near Garrisonville Road in mid-October and the future flyover ramp across I-395 near Edsall Road in early November.  Since starting construction of nine new bridges for the Express Lanes this past March, crews have placed more than 100 steel beams.  A local disadvantaged business enterprise, Interlock Steelworkers, Inc., is performing the steel operations for the project, exemplifying VDOT’s and its partners’ commitment to providing opportunities to small and disadvantaged businesses in the local area.  As crews complete these steel operations, drivers can expect fewer full closures and detours of I-95 during the Express Lanes’ final year of construction.

                Speaking about this progress, Governor McDonnell remarked, “The I-95 Express Lanes are another example of how we’re using smart public-private partnerships to build critically needed transportation infrastructure in Virginia. Our administration has been committed to utilizing every means available to get new roads and rail built all across the state, because a modern transportation system is crucial to economic growth and job creation. I look forward to the completion of this project, and the shorter commutes Virginians will enjoy as a result.”

“We appreciate the patience the traveling public has shown during the last year of heavy construction on I-395/I-95 in Northern Virginia,” commented Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean T. Connaughton.  “As shown by the progress achieved in just one year, VDOT and its 95 Express Lanes partners are committed to delivering faster and more predictable travel on the I-95 corridor in record time.” 

Crews also are scheduled to complete the majority of new paving that must occur throughout the future Express Lanes alignment by late 2013 – placing nearly half a million tons of asphalt along I-95.  The completion of paving will provide drivers with smoother and safer travel lanes, more than a year before the Express Lanes are slated to open.  The paving also allows workers to shift traffic within the HOV lanes, which is necessary to complete the new Express Lanes.

The Express Lanes construction remains in full swing throughout 2014, and drivers should expect continued traffic impacts including day and nighttime lane closures on I-95, weekend closures of the HOV lanes, limited shoulder access, and continued truck traffic entering and exiting the work zones.  Motorists are urged to visit Vamegaprojects.com for the latest construction updates and traffic information.
Enhanced by Zemanta

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank You for taking the time to comment on this article. Please note, we moderate every comment before we allow it to post. Comments do not show up right away because of this.