Today, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) voted to postpone a final decision and not include the I‑495 Southside Express Lanes project in the current draft of the Visualize 2050 plan. Visualize 2050 is the region’s long‑range transportation blueprint, and projects must be incorporated in it to become eligible for federal funding and approval.
The I‑495 Southside Express Lanes (SEL) was first proposed in 2023 by the Virginia Department of Transportation and would extend express lanes roughly 11 miles from the Springfield Interchange in Fairfax County, across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, to the MD 210 interchange in Prince George’s County. ([Virginia Department of Transportation][1])
TPB Chair Walter Alcorn, also a Fairfax County Supervisor, said the decision reflects unresolved issues and the need for further consensus among affected jurisdictions: “These decisions are not easy … there is more work to be done on the project to achieve the regional agreement necessary to advance.” (Board meeting materials) ([MWCOG][2])
The board had previously held off on approving SEL in May 2024, citing unresolved concerns and directing VDOT to provide more refined analyses. TPB staff had run two parallel air‑quality conformity analyses — one with SEL and one without — and both versions met federal air-quality standards.
TPB is scheduled to vote on the full Visualize 2050 plan, along with the FY 2026–2029 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and air‑quality report, on **December 17, 2025**. Before then, a 30‑day public comment period will open on October 23 and run through November 21, giving the public a chance to weigh in.
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