Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Legislators Agree on I-66 Proposal

inside.transform66.org

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and key legislators from both parties and both chambers announced Feb. 10 that they have agreed on a plan to add a third lane to a 4-mile eastbound stretch of Interstate 66 from the Dulles Airport Connector Road to Arlington inside the Capital Beltway.

The agreement, which came in the wake of extensive negotiations between Democrat McAuliffe and Republican delegates Jim LeMunyon and Chris Jones, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, adds a high occupancy lane during peak times without tolling non-solo drivers, and expands commuter bus service. Trucks are not allowed on I-66 inside the Beltway.

In the wake of the deal, Virginia officials are expected to seek a company to join the state in a projected $2.1 billion public-private partnership to widen 25 miles of I-66 outside the Beltway.

“This agreement is a big win for Virginia’s economy and for the commuters who spend too much time on the most congested road in the most congested region in the country,” McAuliffe said in a statement.

The project is expected to cost $140 million, funded by the FAST Act and unallocated state revenue. Construction, which will take place within the existing right-of-way, is scheduled to begin in 2017, with the toll lanes opening in 2019.

“This agreement is another example of how the General Assembly and the governor are working together to provide real solutions to the transportation challenges Virginians face every day,” Jones added. “After major investments in 2013 and innovative reforms in 2014 and 2015, we worked closely with [Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne] and his staff to find a practical solution to not only move the Transform 66 project forward, but to make it better for citizens throughout the congested I-66 corridor.”

Both directions of I-66 inside the Beltway, which McAuliffe had termed “a parking lot” during rush hours, will become all-Express Lanes during those times. Solo drivers are expected to average $6 per trip under a dynamic tolling system. Starting in 2020, vehicles must have at least three occupants to avoid the fee. According to Virginia officials, the project will reduce more than 26,000 person-hours of delay per day while moving an additional 40,000 people through the corridor and allowing drivers to reach at least 45 mph during peak times.

Del. Bob Marshall slammed the agreement in a statement, saying, “The people should decide whether or not tolls should be imposed in Northern Virginia, not political elites or toll companies.”