The Dulles Metrorail and Interstate 495 HOT Lanes projects are moving full steam ahead, and the traveling public in Virginia will reap the rewards of these significant transportation additions by 2013.

Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail project began in Tysons Corner last March and over the summer, support columns for the aerial track went up near Interstate 66 and the Dulles Connector Road (Route 267). This is where the new line, unofficially tagged the “Silver Line,” is branching off the Metrorail’s Orange Line. Phase 1, which goes as far as Reston, is mostly above ground and features a tunnel along Route 123 between the Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria malls. The tunneling began in October using a machine called the “Drill Jumbo,” which uses the New Austrian Tunneling Method.

Work on five new Metrorail stations is underway, with four in Tysons Corner and one in Reston. The Tysons East station will be inside the Capital Beltway. The Tysons Central 123 station will be located at Tysons Boulevard and Route 123. Tysons Central 7 is along Route 7 near Route 123. The Tysons West station will be built at Route 7 and Spring Hill Road. The rail line then follows the median of the Dulles International Airport Access Highway to Reston where the final station in this phase is being built at Wiehle Avenue. Trains are expected to begin servicing these stations in late 2013.

Although construction of the Interstate 495 HOT (High Occupancy Toll) Lanes overlaps Metrorail construction in Tysons Corner, it is a separate project. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is building the $2.7 billion Dulles Metrorail Project while the Virginia Department of Transportation, in a public-private partnership with Transurban-Fluor, is building the Interstate 495 HOT Lanes.

HOT Lanes are a system that will provide new travel choices for a faster and more reliable trip. On Interstate 495, there will be two new HOT lanes in each direction from the Springfield Interchange to just north of the Dulles Toll Road that will be free to HOV-3 cars, motorcycles and buses. Vehicles with less than three occupants can choose to pay a toll to enter the lanes. The amount of the toll will vary throughout the day and depend on real-time traffic conditions.

Construction on these lanes started in 2008 and will replace $260 million in aging infrastructure. This includes overpasses and bridges at the Springfield Interchange, Braddock Road, Little River Turnpike, Gallows Road, Lee Highway, Interstate 66, Arlington Boulevard, Oak Street, Idylwood Road, Leesburg Pike, Chain Bridge Road and Lewinsville Road. Crews are demolishing the old bridges/overpasses and building new ones with the goal of keeping traffic moving. The toll lanes are scheduled to be open by the end of 2012 or early 2013.

Both of these projects will significantly expand transportation options in Northern Virginia. In the mean time, some delays could occur during construction. To mitigate these impacts, Virginia Megaprojects created a traffic management plan (TMP) to offer motorists alternatives to lane closures and detours. This plan includes three new bus services: Tysons Connector, a free shuttle serving Tysons Corner at lunchtime during the week; Tysons Express, a Woodbridge to Tysons Corner commuter bus with free Wi-Fi; and a Loudoun County express bus to Tysons Corner to launch in fall 2010. Another aspect of the plan empowers businesses in Tysons Corner. The Megaprojects Employer Solutions Team is trained to help employers develop customized transportation strategies to increase employees’ commuting options. These may include shared-ride commute matching options (carpool, vanpool, bus, rail, metro and slugging); commuter services seminars or fairs; telecommuting programs; and employer and employee incentive information. To learn more about these free resources, call 877-9595-222 or e-mail: employersolutions@vamegaprojects.com.

Find more information about transportation alternatives and construction at www.VAmegaprojects.com. Drivers can sign up for an e-mail alerts and track the progress of all Megaprojects: Dulles Metrorail, Interstate 495 HOT Lanes, Fairfax County Parkway extension, Interstate 95 widening and Telegraph Road Interchange.

By Mike Salmon

VDOT