I-95 Express Lane Project
The I-95 Express Lane Project has a negative and positive effect on the surrounding area.
The express lane project is nearly a billion dollar endeavor designed to ease traffic congestion and decrease travel times. The project has been broken down into four segments and covers an area of approximately 29 miles from Garrisonville road in Stafford County to Edsall road in Fairfax county Va. This expansion of the current High Occupancy Vehicle lanes (HOV) are designed to add capacity and manage the commute time of travelers.
With the positive results that this project is proposed to bring, there are some potential negative draw backs. From my experiences on I-95, the journey from Garrisonville road to Edsall road can easily turn into stop and go bumper to bumper traffic. With I-95working as the major transportation avenue that it is, an accident, lane closures, and massive amounts of vehicular traffic makes commuters adjust their daily routine. A normal day that can average 40 minutes can easily turn into an hour in a half or more to travel the same distance. The construction is an ongoing process, continuing around the clock and does not guarantee smooth flow during hours that normally see low volumes of traffic. Jefferson Davis Highway also called route one and parallels I-95, has become a viable option to escape the gridlock. With the extra traffic that route one had to handle, it caused those who live on that stretch of road to adjust their activities.
There were many concerns that had to be considered before work began. After extensive research of traffic patterns, pollution, noise, and other possible negative effects on the environment, it was concluded that it was a need for the highway upgrade. The State of Virginia along with the Virginia Department of Transportation ensured that the construction of the 95 extension did not drastically affect the natural habitat of wildlife. Careful consideration was given, not to upset the natural water resources found throughout these areas. The air quality, along with noise pollution was a major concern of the research department. Along with the widening of the roadway, comes more vehicular traffic, which lowers the air quality and raises noise levels. To combat the air quality issues, Stafford County mandates that vehicles pass an emissions test. An emission test is a test of a vehicles exhaust that measures the amount of pollution output. In an effort to reduce noises coming from the extra volume of traffic, they are placing more than 60,000 linear feet of sound walls. These walls are designed to deflect the sounds in an upward motion, therefore creating a quieter environment for communities along the 95 corridor.
The Virginia Department of Transportation has attempted to keep the public aware of the possible delays and road closures. They set up mobile message boards along the path of travel that give motorist ample notice of scheduled work. They also use Internet sites along with radio messages to inform the public of when and where these closure, delays will be, providing the public ample time to formulate a plan to navigate the area.
With all the construction and extra traffic delays, the I-95 project is also designed to benefit the area. It is proposed that this megaproject will add capacity to manage congestion, and provide travelers an option for a faster or more predictable trip. It is designed to alleviate a major bottleneck where the current HOV ends and creates new access points to serve other Northern Virginia destinations like Tyson’s corner and Dulles toll road HOV.
This megaproject upgrade does not come without a hefty price tag. At an estimate of nearly one billion dollars, the public will absorb the majority of the cost. The department of transportation is funding approximately 71 million dollars of the bill, which leaves the private sector to absorb the remaining balance.
Upon completion of the project, all but a select few of motorist will be required to pay a toll to use the roadway. Only high occupancy vehicles, (vehicles with three or more passengers), buses, motorcycles, and emergency vehicles can travel the HOV at any times without paying. Vehicle that have fewer than three occupants have the option to pay to use these lanes. Unlike the existing HOV lanes, the new 95 express lanes will be in effect at all times, including the weekend.
For those who live near and frequently travel this vital stretch of highway, know the daily headache and inconvenience that this project is causing. In the end it is designed to ease the congestion and decrease the commute time from Northern Virginia down to Stafford. At a staggering cost of nearly a billion dollars, it is a means to an end. I personally do not believe that it will reduce the travel time of commuters, or alleviate the issues of the bottleneck in Dumfries. I do believe that all these issues will continue just a few miles down the road, at the new bottleneck. Stafford.