WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Transportation officials will close a portion of Interstate 95’s High Occupancy Vehicle lanes this weekend. It’ll be one of several total closures of the heavily-used transportation facility over the next six weeks.
The reversible HOV lanes between Va. 234 in Dumfries and the Franconia-Springfield Parkway will close at 11 p.m. Friday and will reopen by 10 a.m. Saturday. Drivers will be able to get onto the HOV lanes in the northbound direction at Franconia-Springfield Parkway and points north starting at 2 a.m. Saturday. The entire facility is expected to reopen in the northbound direction to all traffic by 11 a.m. Saturday.
“The closure allows crews to perform survey work, test boring, utility markings, and collect road condition data in preparation for final design of the future 95 Express Lanes Project. Message boards will be in place informing motorists of the closure,” according to a Virginia Department of Transportation press release.
Over the next four to six weeks beginning April 16, the entire HOV facility will close Monday through Thursday nights from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., and 10 p.m. to 11 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights for in connection with preliminary work on the 95 Express Lanes.
“Motorists should plan on adding 15-20 minutes to their travel during the late evening hours as the HOV gates close and traffic will use the general purpose lanes. For motorist safety State Police will be posted at HOV closure locations,” VDOT stated.
Specific information on HOV closures that will occur between April 16 and 20 is slated to be provided by the transportation agency on Wednesday.
The work is part of the 95 Express Lanes project which aims to convert the popular HOV lanes between Dumfries and Edsall Road in Alexandria to toll lanes. The converted lanes will requiring single drivers to pay a toll to use the facility at all times, but vehicles with three or more occupants free access to the lanes.
Right now, laws require three or more occupants to use the lanes between 6 and 9 a.m., and 3:30 to 6 p.m. weekdays. Additionally, there are no tolls to use the facility, which includes a portion of I-395 to the Washington, D.C. line.
