Northern Virginia HOT Lanes

[jeffandnicole]

My thinking is that at least in the interim, it makes sense to have only one lane extended. 

Southbound, 2 lanes HOT and 3 general lanes.  One of the HOT lanes will exit and merge into I-95 on the right prior to Garrisonville Rd.  For those who want to exit at Garrisonville, take this ramp.  The other HOT lane will continue south and merge in to I-95 from the left.  It is much easier to merge one lane in than two.  So since all of the HOT traffic that does not take the flyover will have to merge into the left general lane, it's better that only one lane does it, instead of two.

Of course, if the extension were really long (like 10 miles), then of course extend two lanes instead of one.

The downside is when you get a slow driver pacing the pack.  Once the vehicles behind the slowpoke hit that gore area (not even the merge area), they are gonna swoop out and cut into the general purpose lanes immediately. 

The NJ Turnpike's new widening at Interchange 6 features 2 lanes entering the NB Turnpike on both the car and truck lanes, immediately merging in.  Doesn't seem to be any issues with this.

[1995hoo]

Either way, it ought to be built to allow it to accommodate two lanes in the future if they do extend the managed lanes further south.

[AlexandriaVA]

VRE commuter rail now ends at US-17 with the opening of the Spotsylvania Station.. Perhaps that should be deemed the symbolic (if not statutory, somehow) end of Northern VA, thus that would be where the HOT lanes end as well.

[1995hoo]

VRE commuter rail now ends at US-17 with the opening of the Spotsylvania Station.. Perhaps that should be deemed the symbolic (if not statutory, somehow) end of Northern VA, thus that would be where the HOT lanes end as well.

There's a thriving slug line on Route 3.

[AlexandriaVA]

VRE commuter rail now ends at US-17 with the opening of the Spotsylvania Station.. Perhaps that should be deemed the symbolic (if not statutory, somehow) end of Northern VA, thus that would be where the HOT lanes end as well.

There's a thriving slug line on Route 3.

I was referring to what I guess is bypass US-17, not the Business 17 that goes through town:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/US-17,+Fredericksburg,+VA+22408/@38.2213666,-77.4416296,17z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x89b6c474038df421:0x497a82dc292135a8

[cpzilliacus]

VRE commuter rail now ends at US-17 with the opening of the Spotsylvania Station.. Perhaps that should be deemed the symbolic (if not statutory, somehow) end of Northern VA, thus that would be where the HOT lanes end as well.

There's a thriving slug line on Route 3.

I was referring to what I guess is bypass US-17, not the Business 17 that goes through town:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/US-17,+Fredericksburg,+VA+22408/@38.2213666,-77.4416296,17z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x89b6c474038df421:0x497a82dc292135a8

What goes through Fredericksburg is Business U.S. 17.

U.S. 17 follows I-95 between Exit 126 and Exit 133.  It runes roughly E-W from a point south of town (where Tidewater Trail heads north into Fredericksburg as Va. 2 and U.S. 17 Business) to U.S. 1, then a short distance with 1 before it enters/exits I-95 at Exit 133.

[1995hoo]

I was referring to the slug line off Route 3 at Gordon Road or Boulevard (I forget which and can't be bothered to check a map since I still have stuff in the oven for tomorrow). That's a good distance west of I-95. I guess I was thinking in terms of the idea that if there's a slug line there, I'd think of that as symbolically part of Northern Virginia. I understand that slug line is doing much better since the notorious "B.O. Lady" retired.

[cpzilliacus]

I was referring to the slug line off Route 3 at Gordon Road or Boulevard (I forget which and can't be bothered to check a map since I still have stuff in the oven for tomorrow). That's a good distance west of I-95. I guess I was thinking in terms of the idea that if there's a slug line there, I'd think of that as symbolically part of Northern Virginia. I understand that slug line is doing much better since the notorious "B.O. Lady" retired.

That sounds like Va. 123 (which is Gordon Boulevard in Prince William County) just south of the Occoquan River.

[1995hoo]

I was referring to the slug line off Route 3 at Gordon Road or Boulevard (I forget which and can't be bothered to check a map since I still have stuff in the oven for tomorrow). That's a good distance west of I-95. I guess I was thinking in terms of the idea that if there's a slug line there, I'd think of that as symbolically part of Northern Virginia. I understand that slug line is doing much better since the notorious "B.O. Lady" retired.

That sounds like Va. 123 (which is Gordon Boulevard in Prince William County) just south of the Occoquan River.

I just pulled up a map. It's Gordon Road and it's off Route 3 to the west (very obvious commuter lot when you drive past).

[1995hoo]

Saw something rather odd this afternoon. I was driving from the Total Beverage in Springfield to the Wegmans on Telegraph Road and I took Backlick to the Franconia—Springfield Parkway.

The I-95 HO/T lanes are northbound all day today and the toll listed on both the sign on Backlick and the sign on the Parkway was as follows (no arrows on the sign, of course; I did that just for legibility here):

I-495----->$2.40
395-236----->$2.30  (i.e., the Turkeycock ramp complex)

Very odd to see the longer distance bearing the cheaper toll! I suppose in terms of "active traffic management" it might make sense if the Beltway were congested (I don't know if it was; southbound I-95 was NOT) and they didn't want a tailback up the big loop ramp potentially slowing the express lanes.

[Mapmikey]

I have seen those destinations as the same toll many times coming up the HOT lanes in the morning but never with the 495 exit more expensive.

Mike

[1995hoo]

I have seen those destinations as the same toll many times coming up the HOT lanes in the morning but never with the 495 exit more expensive.

I've seen the same rate many times too. Usually in the mornings when we drive to the Springfield Metro the rate to Turkeycock is reasonably higher. This is the first time I recall seeing a higher rate for a shorter trip. I haven't downloaded dashcam video yet, but I doubt it'd matter since the camera doesn't usually pick up electronic signs very well.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: 95 Express Lanes mark first anniversary

Tolling began one year ago Tuesday on 95 Express Lanes, yet their full impact on the D.C. region's transportation system isn't apparent yet.

So far, the high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes are performing pretty much as billed. They provide a quicker and more reliable trip for toll payers and for carpoolers than do the regular lanes along 29 miles of Interstate 95 between the far southern suburbs of Stafford County and the spot just inside the Capital Beltway where they link with the I-395 High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes for the remaining eight miles to the D.C. line.

The vehicles most likely to be found in what are often derided as "Lexus Lanes"  are Toyotas, Hondas and Fords. According to a study for Transurban, the company that operates the express lanes on I-95 as well as on the Capital Beltway, Lexus drivers account for 3 percent of the traffic.

Some of the comments are worth a read, even though many are very negative about this project.

[NJRoadfan]

Coming home yesterday morning, the price to drive the entire the southern "segment" going north seemed a bit high, over $4 or so. The regular lanes were cruising along without any problems. Maybe it was all those the out-of-state cars exiting onto the lanes?

Going south last week I snicked over to the HOT lanes to avoid a potentially annoying backup at the Exit 160 lane drop (it was raining and traffic was heavy). The cost to drive from US-1 (exit 161) to Dale Blvd. (exit 156) was much too tempting ($1 for all exits).

[cpzilliacus]

Coming home yesterday morning, the price to drive the entire the southern "segment" going north seemed a bit high, over $4 or so. The regular lanes were cruising along without any problems. Maybe it was all those the out-of-state cars exiting onto the lanes?

Going south last week I snicked over to the HOT lanes to avoid a potentially annoying backup at the Exit 160 lane drop (it was raining and traffic was heavy). The cost to drive from US-1 (exit 161) to Dale Blvd. (exit 156) was much too tempting ($1 for all exits).

The operational problems seem to be much less when the lanes run in the northbound direction.

Things are much more prone to problems southbound at the southern terminus near Garrisonville. 

[Mapmikey]

Coming home yesterday morning, the price to drive the entire the southern "segment" going north seemed a bit high, over $4 or so. The regular lanes were cruising along without any problems. Maybe it was all those the out-of-state cars exiting onto the lanes?

Going south last week I snicked over to the HOT lanes to avoid a potentially annoying backup at the Exit 160 lane drop (it was raining and traffic was heavy). The cost to drive from US-1 (exit 161) to Dale Blvd. (exit 156) was much too tempting ($1 for all exits).

$4.20 NB for the southern segment (which is longer NB than the SB southern segment) is also what it costs at 5 a.m. on a weekday.  Not sure I've ever seen it a lot lower than this...

Mike

[mrsman]

Is there any benefit to taking the 95/395 express lanes when the general lanes are moving without delays?

I know that in the case of the 495 lanes there is still a slight benefit because there are exits to Lee Hwy and in Tysons Corner on the express lanes that don't exist on the general lanes, so there would be less travel on surface streets for some people.

I don't see why one would pay $4.20 for the 95 express lanes if it won't cause you to get to your destination any sooner.

[jeffandnicole]

Some people don't care about money.  Or their employer pays for the EZ Pass.

I guess it's like buying gas.  Some people just pull up to the pump, not even looking at the price.  They could've saved 20 cents a gallon just by stopping at a gas station a few blocks away many times.

[Mapmikey]

Is there any benefit to taking the 95/395 express lanes when the general lanes are moving without delays?

I know that in the case of the 495 lanes there is still a slight benefit because there are exits to Lee Hwy and in Tysons Corner on the express lanes that don't exist on the general lanes, so there would be less travel on surface streets for some people.

I don't see why one would pay $4.20 for the 95 express lanes if it won't cause you to get to your destination any sooner.

At 5 a.m. it is faster in the express lanes on 95 because there is a delay in Woodbridge/Dale City by the time I get there.  I usually enter the lanes at one of the entrances either side of VA 234 where the price is <$3 most days.

Absent of knowing this, it depends on how observant one is about speed limits - 65 mph for all 29 miles of the 95/395 express lanes whereas the mainline drops to 60 about 11 miles up then down to 55 about 6 miles later.  Or how confident one is that a delay won't develop further north by the time you get there.  Or if one is less stressed about the light traffic that would be in the express lanes versus the mainline.

Mike

[1995hoo]

I use the I-95 lanes for access to the Franconia—Springfield Parkway ramps, as those have no mainline equivalents.

The point on the speed limit has an additional nuance in that if you're pulled over for speeding, the fine in the HO/T lanes would be lower due to the higher speed limit. That is, 73 is 8 over in there instead of 18 over in the 55-mph zone, so it's a lower fine and fewer points on your license. (Also, if you're going 75, that's grounds for a reckless in a 55 zone.)

[cpzilliacus]

WTOP Radio: HOT lanes' impact nationwide could be sign of things for D.C. area

[cpzilliacus]

WTOP Radio: Bill could lead to I-95 improvements for some regular backups

With plans already in the works to extend the Interstate 95 Express Lanes about two miles south to ease regular congestion through Stafford, a bill in the House of Delegates would direct the Virginia Department of Transportation to consider a further extension, or other improvements, for commuters even farther south.

The bill, sponsored by Del. Mark Cole, would direct VDOT to work with regional planning groups to study improvements south of the Express Lanes toward Fredericksburg.

"I think it's important to the region. There hasn't been any real comprehensive study done on 95 in decades, and this is something that needs to be done,"  says Cole,  R-Fredericksburg.

Originally, the bill specifically directed VDOT to negotiate the extension of the HOV or toll lanes south to Route 17. However, the latest version of the bill that instead focuses on a study of options now has VDOT's approval.

"The point is to get VDOT to make I-95, especially the southern portion from North Stafford to Spotsylvania, a priority,"  Cole tells WTOP.

[AlexandriaVA]

95hoo - random but related question:

Why is there no direct access from the franconia-springfield parkway to the general lanes of 95? I work in that general area, and I see many people who I assume are coming from points west (say, Burke) to the general (non-HOT) lanes north to DC/Arlington. Due to the lack of direct connection, they are forced to go up Backlick and pick up 395 at the VA-644 (Keene Mill/Franconia Rds) interchange near the porn shop.


I only fixed a typo because it confused me what you were going for briefly by putting "3/95".

-Mark

[74/171FAN]

95hoo - random but related question:

Why is there no direct access from the franconia-springfield parkway to the general lanes of 95? I work in that general area, and I see many people who I assume are coming from points west (say, Burke) to the general (non-HOT) lanes north to DC/Arlington. Due to the lack of direct connection, they are forced to go up Backlick and pick up 395 at the VA-644 (Keene Mill/Franconia Rds) interchange near the porn shop.

There are a couple planned movements (VA 289 EB to I-95 NB and I-95 SB to VA 289 WB) to be constructed according to the Fairfax County website but they are currently unfunded.

[1995hoo]

95hoo - random but related question:

Why is there no direct access from the franconia-springfield parkway to the general lanes of 95? I work in that general area, and I see many people who I assume are coming from points west (say, Burke) to the general (non-HOT) lanes north to DC/Arlington. Due to the lack of direct connection, they are forced to go up Backlick and pick up 395 at the VA-644 (Keene Mill/Franconia Rds) interchange near the porn shop.


I only fixed a typo because it confused me what you were going for briefly by putting "3/95".

-Mark

From what I understand, based both on what I've read and what I was told by a former member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, there are two issues that are related to each other:

(1) Proximity to the pre-existing Route 644 interchange means C/D roads would be required.

(2) C/D roads would be far too expensive there and would likely require the taking of numerous commercial properties on the western side of the highway.

Obviously, the "best" time to do it–maybe the "least worst time" might be the better wording–would have been when the area was already torn up to rebuild the Springfield Interchange. I believe the additional funding did not exist and both VDOT and Fairfax County were unsure they wanted a full interchange there. Apparently there was some sentiment that because there was eventually to be a full interchange between the Fairfax County Parkway and I-95 in Newington (which now exists since they finished the Parkway through the old Fort Belvoir Proving Grounds), they didn't need one for the F—S Parkway because people could just use the other. Problem is, doing that can add substantial travel time because the Newington part of the Parkway gets quite congested due to the traffic lights.