The Federal Highway Administration has given its blessing to Virginia to move forward with plans to transform one of the region’s most heavily congested commuter routes — Interstate 66 outside the Capital Beltway.
After a two-year study, the federal highway agency ruled that the Virginia Department of Transportation can begin seeking bids for design and construction of a multi-modal system in the 25-mile stretch between Route 15 in Haymarket and the Beltway.
“We now have the ‘green light’ to move forward in remaking I-66 and providing new ways to move people with greater efficiency,” said Helen Cuervo, VDOT’s Northern Virginia district engineer.
VDOT envisions an improved I-66 that would include two express toll lanes and three regular lanes in each direction.
Virginia recently voted to upgrade the carpool standard from HOV-2 to HOV-3, when the express lanes open, likely in 2020. New and expanded commuter lots will be built to assist drivers with ride-sharing options along the corridor.