VDOT News - Northern Virginia

FAIRFAX – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and I-66 Express Mobility Partners (EMP), the Commonwealth’s private partner and operator of the new 66 Express Lanes outside the Beltway, announced today that the full 66 Express Lanes corridor from Route 29 in Gainesville to I-495 (Capital Beltway) is open ahead of schedule. The final 13-mile section on I-66 East between Route 28 in Centreville and I-495 opened around 11 a.m. today, Nov. 22.

The entire 22.5 miles of 66 Express Lanes are open with tolling and HOV-2+ rules in effect. The new lanes provide direct connections at major interchanges along the I-66 corridor, including Route 28, Route 50, Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road), and I-495. Ramps at Monument Drive and Stringfellow Road will now be express lanes-only ramps. Additionally, the 66 Express Lanes bring new, first-time connections to and from the west at Monument Drive and Vaden Drive (near the Vienna-Fairfax/GMU Metrorail Station). The project has also opened new express lanes-only ramps at University Boulevard in Gainesville and Century Park Drive in Manassas that provide direct access to the lanes from new commuter parking lots. The project includes several flyover and slip ramps to allow drivers to switch between the express lanes and the general-purpose lanes.

The HOV requirement for toll-free travel in the 66 Express Lanes will change to HOV-3+ beginning Monday, Dec. 5, when vehicles will need to have three or more occupants to travel the express lanes without paying a toll. This change from HOV-2+ to HOV-3+ will apply across the entire I-66 corridor including the 66 Express Lanes located outside the Beltway, as well as the nine miles of 66 Express Lanes located inside the Beltway between I-495 and Route 29 in Rosslyn, which operate on weekdays during peak periods in peak commute directions. This HOV-3+ requirement is consistent with HOV requirements on the other express lanes in Northern Virginia. Eligible high occupancy vehicles can use the 66 Express Lanes toll-free but must have an E-ZPass Flex set to the “HOV On” mode.

How Drivers Can Prepare to Use the 66 Express Lanes Outside the Beltway:

• Learn more about the 66 Express Lanes, including how to access the lanes by visiting Ride66express.com.
• Obtain an E-ZPass to pay tolls, or an E-ZPass Flex to travel toll-free as HOV. Drivers can obtain an E-ZPass at ezpassva.com by calling 877-762-7824, or in person at many Giant and Wegmans grocery stores in Northern Virginia, as well as at AAA offices, Fairfax Connector stores, and DMV Customer Service Centers.
• Become familiar with other payment options available through I-66 EMP such as paying online, using a mobile app, via the mail, by calling 833-643-2867, or in person at the 66 Express Lanes Customer Service Center in Manassas. Payment options other than E-ZPass will incur administrative fees. More information can be found at Ride66express.com.

About the Project:
The Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project provides 22.5 miles of new express lanes (two lanes in each direction alongside three general-purpose lanes), with dedicated express lane access ramps, and median space reserved for future transit. In addition, the project will provide approximately 4,000 park and ride spaces, new and expanded commuter bus service on Fairfax County Connector and Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission Omniride, safety and operational improvements at key interchanges, auxiliary lanes between interchanges, and bicycle and pedestrian paths and connections. The I-66 Outside the Beltway Project will deliver about $3.7 billion worth of transportation improvements benefitting northern Virginia’s I-66 corridor, financed by I-66 Express Mobility Partners, a consortium of private developers Cintra, Meridiam, and APG.

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