Has Traffic on I-66 Improved Since New Express Lanes Opened, According to Your Experience?

People have been complaining of longer commutes on I-66

Typical Cross Section of Future I-66 showing three general-use lanes and two express lanes for Eastbound and Westbound roads.

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)

Posted Friday, October 14, 2022 10:36 am

Traffic congestion has gotten worse in the regular lanes, more traffic, longer commute times. 73% | 89 votes

Traffic has improved for me, because I take the express lanes as a sole driver and believe paying tolls is a fair trade to bypass the traffic. 11% | 13 votes

Traffic has improved in the regular lanes, resulting in shorter commute time for me. 8% | 10 votes

Traffic has improved for me, but only because I carpool or take transit, allowing me to use the HOV Express Lanes. 5% | 6 votes

Traffic has improved for me. However, I now pay tolls, and I find them expensive. I plan on finding an alternative way to get to commute. 3% | 4 votes

Tolling and HOV Rules to Begin Saturday, Sept. 24 on New 66 Express Lanes Western Section

Staff

Has traffic on I-66 improved or worsened your commute during peak hours since the new HOV Express Lanes opened?

The two new HOV lanes are now paid HOV 2+or carpool lanes; they have not yet switched over to HOV 3+. Even so, drivers are already complaining that their commutes have not improved. Many only expect they will worsen once the express lanes switch to HOV 3+.

Along with the new express lanes, VDOT and partners have added many multi-modal transportation options such as new transit routes and parking lots, and park-and-ride carpooling options.

We are asking you: what has been your experience driving on the new express lanes since tolling was added?

Answer the questions above based on your experience either taking the regular lanes, HOV 2+ lanes via paying tolls, carpooling, or taking transit, such as OmniRide buses. Read all the choices as we are accepting one answer per participant.

Then, read more about the new I-66 road changes and watch the video for information on new entrance and exit ramps.

Information from the Virginia Department of Transportation regarding the I-66 Outside the Beltway is provided below, as well as a video towards the end of the article.

VDOT- About the Project

The Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project will transform Northern Virginia’s Interstate 66 into a multimodal corridor that moves more people, provides reliable trips and offers new travel options. The project is a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), and private partner, I-66 Express Mobility Partners, delivering $3.7 billion of transportation improvements in the I-66 corridor. The Express Lanes are scheduled to open in December 2022.

Improvements include:

22.5 miles of new Express Lanes alongside three regular lanes on I-66 from I-495 to University Boulevard in Gainesville
More reliable and faster trips on I-66 due to dynamically-tolled Express Lanes – available to solo drivers choosing to pay a toll and free to vehicles with three or more people
New and improved bus service and transit routes
New and expanded park-and-ride lots providing convenient access to the Express Lanes and more than 4,000 new park-and-ride spaces
Interchange improvements to enhance safety and reduce congestion, including auxiliary lanes between interchanges, where needed
11 miles of new bike and pedestrian trails, including shared-use trails along I-66 that integrate with local trails, and new crossings of I-66 to improve and expand bicycle and pedestrian routes

Project Timeline

Project Timeline Image

More Infor About the New I-66 Corridor and How to Use It- VDOT

Keywords

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