I-66 HO/T Lanes

[AlexandriaVA]

Sounds like the system properly responded to higher demand. If I were a car commuter on the I-66 corridor, I'd want Silver and Orange line capacity to be robust and assured, in order to avoid further incidents like this.

[1995hoo]

Sounds like the system properly responded to higher demand. ....

Agreed. It seems like the Post is determined to invent an imaginary scandal about the tolls.

[cpzilliacus]

Sounds like the system properly responded to higher demand. If I were a car commuter on the I-66 corridor, I'd want Silver and Orange line capacity to be robust and assured, in order to avoid further incidents like this.

I have no issues with the higher tolls on I-66, including the  lack of a cap on those tolls.

I do have issues with Metro not being reliable, given the  amount of tax money that has been  spent on it (and will be spent on it in the future). 

[cpzilliacus]

WTOP Radio: Va. tweaking I-66 toll pricing algorithm

Virginia is making changes as soon as the next few weeks that could lower rush-hour toll prices for some solo drivers on Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway, WTOP has learned.

The changes to the pricing algorithm in coming weeks could lower tolls outside of the very busiest times or on certain days of the week, but may not immediately make significant changes to the peak toll prices at the height of the morning rush hour. At the times with the highest tolls, traffic on Interstate 66 has slowed down somewhat from earlier in the morning.

[mrsman]

WTOP Radio: Va. tweaking I-66 toll pricing algorithm

Virginia is making changes as soon as the next few weeks that could lower rush-hour toll prices for some solo drivers on Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway, WTOP has learned.

The changes to the pricing algorithm in coming weeks could lower tolls outside of the very busiest times or on certain days of the week, but may not immediately make significant changes to the peak toll prices at the height of the morning rush hour. At the times with the highest tolls, traffic on Interstate 66 has slowed down somewhat from earlier in the morning.

This is a good thing.  This shold be a high toll, but not $40 range.  By aiming for 45 or 50 mph (where most similar facilities nationwide aim) would probably keep tolls around $30 at the height of morning rush hour.  A further improvement in the cost will occur if they restrict it to HOV-3,which will happen when the HOT lanes west of the Beltway open.

[cpzilliacus]

This is a good thing.  This shold be a high toll, but not $40 range.  By aiming for 45 or 50 mph (where most similar facilities nationwide aim) would probably keep tolls around $30 at the height of morning rush hour.  A further improvement in the cost will occur if they restrict it to HOV-3,which will happen when the HOT lanes west of the Beltway open.

I  agree generally.  Especially  the part about restricting free passage to HOV-3 traffic (originally when it  opened in 1982, I-66 between I-495 and the Rosslyn Tunnel was HOV-4).

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: 66 Express Lanes collect more than $6 million in tolls during first 4 months of operations

Virginia raked in $6.1 million in tolls during the first four months of operation of the 66 Express Lanes, state transportation officials said Thursday.

The new system –with tolls that have reached as high as $47.50 and are among the highest in the nation– is expected to generate $12 million by the end of the fiscal year June 30, the Virginia Department of Transportation said.

The state will allocate nearly half of that amount, $5.7 million, to the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, which is coordinating transit and other transportation projects along the Interstate 66 corridor.

[1995hoo]

WTOP has a report about VDOT's latest statistics on I-66 HO/T usage: https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2018/08/interstate-66-toll-update-traffic-impacts-how-many-drivers-face-extra-fines-or-fees/slide/7/

Still a substantial number of people without E-ZPass. I wonder when they'll start getting socked with penalties such that the local media try to invent a scandal.

[AlexandriaVA]

WTOP has a report about VDOT's latest statistics on I-66 HO/T usage: https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2018/08/interstate-66-toll-update-traffic-impacts-how-many-drivers-face-extra-fines-or-fees/slide/7/

Still a substantial number of people without E-ZPass. I wonder when they'll start getting socked with penalties such that the local media try to invent a scandal.

Bonus points if they include the phrase "highway robbery".

[Jmiles32]

https://www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax/vdot-reworks-plan-for-i--interchange-at-nutley-st/article_db6c7052-d12f-11e8-a3e0-cbef4dba7d65.html

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) officials are proposing a fetching new design for the soon-to-be-revamped interchange at Interstate 66 and Nutley Street in Vienna.

Unlike the previous "diverging diamond"  design, which would have had two traffic signals, the new "dog bone"  plan would feature a pair of roundabouts on Nutley Street north and south of I-66, VDOT officials told the Vienna Town Council in an Oct. 15 briefing.

The new design would have a smaller footprint, provide better traffic flow, have a westbound exit onto Nutley Street from the new Express Lanes and have a shared-use path for bicyclists and pedestrians featuring no at-grade crossings, said Susan Shaw, VDOT's Northern Virginia Megaprojects director.

VDOT officials say the "Transform 66 Outside the Beltway"  project is on schedule to be completed by December 2022. The $3.7 billion initiative is a public-private partnership between VDOT, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and a private firm, I-66 Express Mobility Partners.

Based off the design the article provides, there also appears to be a new direct exit from the westbound express lanes to Nutley Street with a new light in the middle of the overpass. 

[Jmiles32]

https://wtop.com/local/2018/10/virginia-lowers-tolls-for-solo-drivers-on-interstate-66/

WASHINGTON – Virginia has lowered rush-hour tolls for solo drivers on Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway, with a change to the pricing algorithm implemented this summer.

While the average toll paid in August largely dropped due to reduced traffic while people were on vacation, Virginia Department of Transportation Division Administrator for Tolling Operations David Caudill said in an interview that the tolls would not have dropped as much without a change made in July to the way the automated system calculated the amount of traffic on the road.

"If you had the same volume back two months ago, you would have seen a higher toll. So in September, we got bigger volumes because you know school's back in session, tolls give the appearance of a higher rate back up to $40-plus, but that's due to volume. It would have been higher had we not made the changes that we made in July,"  Caudill said.

The change to the traffic density calculations applies in both the morning and afternoon.

"It seems to have worked and not impacted speeds. Keep in mind, we've still got to maintain traffic, the HOV users should not be impacted when we make changes like this,"  Caudill said.

That indicates the state did not have to charge tolls quite so high as it had been in the first months after the tolling and expanded HOV hours began last December.

Additional changes to the tolling algorithm are planned one at a time so that Caudill's team can monitor the discrete impact of each change to the system.

"We feel, on the one that we did in July which directly impacted the dynamic pricing, we got a good result on that, and the next one we look at....the volumes on Fridays are clearly lower in the mornings than they are any other time during the rest of the week, we think there's an opportunity there to change the dynamic pricing parameters,"  Caudill said.

Definitely a start, but more still needs to be done. That third eastbound lane from Exit 67 to 71 can't come soon enough.

[1995hoo]

The toll rate signs for I-66 inside the Beltway have malfunctioned both yesterday and today, leaving them dark for most or part of the morning rush hour. Tolls were waived on Monday during the outage, and rightly so, IMO, because how could anyone know what the rate would be so as to make an informed decision whether to use the road? They'll probably waive them today, too, but since the outage was for a shorter time, presumably they won't be waived for the whole rush hour.

Today's instance marks at least the third time this has happened within just a few weeks. They're blaming it on a "network" problem. I wonder what's going on. The I-66 HO/T operation is VDOT's responsibility, not Transurban's, and we haven't seen this sort of problem (yet, anyway) on the Beltway or I-95.

[cpzilliacus]

The toll rate signs for I-66 inside the Beltway have malfunctioned both yesterday and today, leaving them dark for most or part of the morning rush hour. Tolls were waived on Monday during the outage, and rightly so, IMO, because how could anyone know what the rate would be so as to make an informed decision whether to use the road? They'll probably waive them today, too, but since the outage was for a shorter time, presumably they won't be waived for the whole rush hour.

Today's instance marks at least the third time this has happened within just a few weeks. They're blaming it on a "network" problem. I wonder what's going on. The I-66 HO/T operation is VDOT's responsibility, not Transurban's, and we haven't seen this sort of problem (yet, anyway) on the Beltway or I-95.

I have not personally seen any malfunction on the tolled part of I-66, but I seldom drive it when tolls are in effect.

But - problems with such signs are not unique to I-66. 

Since the road was completed from I-95 to I-370, I have reported at least fifteen or twenty malfunctioning toll rate signs at the approaches to MD-200 to the MDTA Police or to the MDTA AOC (Authority Operations Center).

These have ranged from signs being completely dark to something going wrong with the sign or the control unit, causing what is displayed on the sign to "go crazy" and display non-informative and scrambled characters.

[Beltway]

Since the road was completed from I-95 to I-370, I have reported at least fifteen or twenty malfunctioning toll rate signs at the approaches to MD-200 to the MDTA Police or to the MDTA AOC (Authority Operations Center).

Having worked in IT Support for networked VMS signs and electronic bulletin boards, I have seen how problems can occur with the network, the commercial power supply, the computer that drives the sign or EBB, the main servers, and the smart traffic center controls.

The sooner the problem can be reported to IT Support, the better.  Either agency IT Support or a contractor will be tasked to fix the problem.  Problems -will- occur at times, that is the nature of IT, the important thing is for them to be fixed quickly.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: I-66 tolls push more commuters into carpools or buses, report says

Car pools and commuter buses are a bit more common along a stretch of Interstate 66 after some drivers began paying tolls two years ago during peak commuting hours, according to a new report.

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission conducted the study to determine whether mass transit ridership and commuter behaviors have changed along the 10 miles of I-66 inside the Beltway. The report showed fewer vehicles are using I-66 during the morning rush, but more people are moving through the corridor.

[Stephane Dumas]

I don't know if someone already posted it but there's a video showing the construction update of I-66 HOT lanes filmed last November.
https://youtu.be/2U-HxIj-9uI

[Jmiles32]

http://www.virginiadot.org/newsroom/northern-virginia/2020/new-flyover-ramp-from-i-66-east-to-route-28-north-opening-on-or-about-wednesday-july-87-2-2020.asp

FAIRFAX — The first new exit ramp and bridge for the under-construction I-66 and Route 28 Interchange is scheduled to open ahead of schedule beginning on or about Wednesday morning, July 8. Drivers on I-66 East will exit to Route 28 North using the new flyover ramp, located prior to Route 28 and the old loop ramp. The new ramp was completed as an early interim milestone for the I-66 Outside the Beltway Project, and is the first of several permanent traffic pattern changes happening this year at the I-66 and Route 28 Interchange area.

Once the new I-66 East to Route 28 North ramp opens, the old loop ramp will close permanently to allow for construction of new northbound Route 28 thru-lanes and additional ramps for the redesigned interchange. Drivers should use caution and follow roadway signs when traveling in this area.

The next major change at the I-66 and Route 28 Interchange is the opening of a new ramp from Route 28 South to I-66 East, planned to occur in August. Later this year, the remaining traffic signals on Route 28 between Westfields Boulevard and Route 29 will be removed, and a new overpass to reconnect Braddock Road and Walney Road is scheduled to open.

As someone who drove through the interchange last week, I figured that at the very least they had another month of construction left on this new ramp. However while this news is surprising, it is most certainly welcome. While I was initially skeptical about the ambitious goal of getting rid of all the lights (4) on VA-28 north of I-66 by the end of 2020, I now am now much more confident and when this happens the current afternoon traffic bottleneck of VA-28 southbound approaching I-66 should greatly be alleviated. Furthermore, with the news of this development being "ahead of schedule", it gives me great hope that other significant parts of this massive 22 mile project are also ahead of schedule. Heres to hoping! 

[mrsman]

http://www.virginiadot.org/newsroom/northern-virginia/2020/new-flyover-ramp-from-i-66-east-to-route-28-north-opening-on-or-about-wednesday-july-87-2-2020.asp

FAIRFAX — The first new exit ramp and bridge for the under-construction I-66 and Route 28 Interchange is scheduled to open ahead of schedule beginning on or about Wednesday morning, July 8. Drivers on I-66 East will exit to Route 28 North using the new flyover ramp, located prior to Route 28 and the old loop ramp. The new ramp was completed as an early interim milestone for the I-66 Outside the Beltway Project, and is the first of several permanent traffic pattern changes happening this year at the I-66 and Route 28 Interchange area.

Once the new I-66 East to Route 28 North ramp opens, the old loop ramp will close permanently to allow for construction of new northbound Route 28 thru-lanes and additional ramps for the redesigned interchange. Drivers should use caution and follow roadway signs when traveling in this area.

The next major change at the I-66 and Route 28 Interchange is the opening of a new ramp from Route 28 South to I-66 East, planned to occur in August. Later this year, the remaining traffic signals on Route 28 between Westfields Boulevard and Route 29 will be removed, and a new overpass to reconnect Braddock Road and Walney Road is scheduled to open.

As someone who drove through the interchange last week, I figured that at the very least they had another month of construction left on this new ramp. However while this news is surprising, it is most certainly welcome. While I was initially skeptical about the ambitious goal of getting rid of all the lights (4) on VA-28 north of I-66 by the end of 2020, I now am now much more confident and when this happens the current afternoon traffic bottleneck of VA-28 southbound approaching I-66 should greatly be alleviated. Furthermore, with the news of this development being "ahead of schedule", it gives me great hope that other significant parts of this massive 22 mile project are also ahead of schedule. Heres to hoping! 

This is more of teh COVID silver lining.  Less traffic means more construction can occur, even at peak times so construction projects are completed more efficiently.

[Stephane Dumas]

http://www.virginiadot.org/newsroom/northern-virginia/2020/new-flyover-ramp-from-i-66-east-to-route-28-north-opening-on-or-about-wednesday-july-87-2-2020.asp

FAIRFAX — The first new exit ramp and bridge for the under-construction I-66 and Route 28 Interchange is scheduled to open ahead of schedule beginning on or about Wednesday morning, July 8. Drivers on I-66 East will exit to Route 28 North using the new flyover ramp, located prior to Route 28 and the old loop ramp. The new ramp was completed as an early interim milestone for the I-66 Outside the Beltway Project, and is the first of several permanent traffic pattern changes happening this year at the I-66 and Route 28 Interchange area.

Once the new I-66 East to Route 28 North ramp opens, the old loop ramp will close permanently to allow for construction of new northbound Route 28 thru-lanes and additional ramps for the redesigned interchange. Drivers should use caution and follow roadway signs when traveling in this area.

The next major change at the I-66 and Route 28 Interchange is the opening of a new ramp from Route 28 South to I-66 East, planned to occur in August. Later this year, the remaining traffic signals on Route 28 between Westfields Boulevard and Route 29 will be removed, and a new overpass to reconnect Braddock Road and Walney Road is scheduled to open.

As someone who drove through the interchange last week, I figured that at the very least they had another month of construction left on this new ramp. However while this news is surprising, it is most certainly welcome. While I was initially skeptical about the ambitious goal of getting rid of all the lights (4) on VA-28 north of I-66 by the end of 2020, I now am now much more confident and when this happens the current afternoon traffic bottleneck of VA-28 southbound approaching I-66 should greatly be alleviated. Furthermore, with the news of this development being "ahead of schedule", it gives me great hope that other significant parts of this massive 22 mile project are also ahead of schedule. Heres to hoping! 

This is more of teh COVID silver lining.  Less traffic means more construction can occur, even at peak times so construction projects are completed more efficiently.

Speaking of construction, there's a video who was posted on July 1 showing the progress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akrIK2CSWSE

[1995hoo]

Good overhead picture of the Route 28 interchange mentioned above. North is to the left (the direction of the infamous I-366); east is at the top.

https://twitter.com/VaDOTNOVA/status/1280588682626502656?s=20

[AlexandriaVA]

With the confession that I don't know that interchange terribly well (particularly coming from the west), I struggle to see what the big improvement it - it's still a right-hand exit that leads drivers onto the rightmost lane of VA-28 northbound (towards Dulles, etc). Am I missing anything? Is the merge simpler?

EDIT: Just looked up the VDOT project page - I see it's part of a larger overall project, including getting rid of that left turn across VA-28 to get onto inbound 66.

[Jmiles32]

With the confession that I don't know that interchange terribly well (particularly coming from the west), I struggle to see what the big improvement it - it's still a right-hand exit that leads drivers onto the rightmost lane of VA-28 northbound (towards Dulles, etc). Am I missing anything? Is the merge simpler?

Just drove on the new ramp this morning. While at the moment I wouldn't really call it much of an improvement due to all the ongoing construction and temporary short merge onto VA-28, it's important to keep in mind that this won't be the case for long as when additional phases of the interchange are completed things will get far better.

EDIT: Just looked up the VDOT project page - I see it's part of a larger overall project, including getting rid of that left turn across VA-28 to get onto inbound 66.

^Correct. The current VA-28/I-66 interchange is arguably the most outdated interchange in the entire Northern Virginia region and is largely responsible for horrendous backups on I-66 eastbound/VA-28 northbound in the morning and I-66 westbound/VA-28 southbound in the afternoon. A nearby traffic light for Braddock Road just north of the interchange didn't help matters. Regardless of whether the larger Transform I-66 project took place, funding for this $300 million dollar interchange upgrade was secured no matter what as it was simply that big of a priority.

As for the new interchange design, it is very impressive IMO and will greatly improve upon exciting connections while also offering plenty of new ones such as to and from Braddock Road, and to and from the I-66 express lanes. Supposedly there is also reserved right of way for potential VA-28 express lanes down the road...

[froggie]

I'm not certain that a free-flow interchange is really going to help Eastbound 66 in the morning.  While aggravating for 28 drivers, the signals to approach and get onto EB 66 had a metering effect on traffic.  Now you're going to open a flood which, despite the improvements to 66 itself, will still remain a bottleneck.

[Jmiles32]

I'm not certain that a free-flow interchange is really going to help Eastbound 66 in the morning.  While aggravating for 28 drivers, the signals to approach and get onto EB 66 had a metering effect on traffic.  Now you're going to open a flood which, despite the improvements to 66 itself, will still remain a bottleneck.

Solid point which is probably why in the hopes of minimizing this potential issue, I-66 directly east of this interchange is planned to be its widest (I believe something around 7 lanes in each direction). While a decent amount of traffic does get off at the next exit (VA-286), it will indeed be interesting to see how a free-flowing interchange will affect I-66 during the morning rush hour.

[mrsman]

I'm not certain that a free-flow interchange is really going to help Eastbound 66 in the morning.  While aggravating for 28 drivers, the signals to approach and get onto EB 66 had a metering effect on traffic.  Now you're going to open a flood which, despite the improvements to 66 itself, will still remain a bottleneck.

Solid point which is probably why in the hopes of minimizing this potential issue, I-66 directly east of this interchange is planned to be its widest (I believe something around 7 lanes in each direction). While a decent amount of traffic does get off at the next exit (VA-286), it will indeed be interesting to see how a free-flowing interchange will affect I-66 during the morning rush hour.

While generally rare, there are freeway to freeway metering ramps in some places.  Most notably are the ramps that were put in place on I-105 that runs south of Los Angeles as it interchanges with the 405, 110, 710, and 605 freeways.  A few older freeway to freeway interchanges in CA have also gotten meters, but I do not recall where.

Here is WB 105 to NB 405 metering lights:

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.9322027,-118.361913,3a,75y,247.49h,95.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sleW-Nz7aBK-e-c11qp4yBA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.9363246,-118.368046,3a,75y,11.52h,89.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1EgcAZRqSHQxpCg0T13Lvg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192


If needed, a freeway to freeway meter could address issues at 28/66 - but they probably won't implement it, and it probably will not be necessary.  The widening of I-66 here will probably handle most of the jolt of traffic without the need to meter.