Virginia reviewing potential of two-way I-95 express lanes

As calls to reduce traffic congestion grow, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration is reviewing the potential of converting the Interstate 95 Express Lanes to operate in both directions instead of switching direction along with traffic.

On Dec. 20, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay and Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair Ann Wheeler sent a letter to Youngkin and top state transportation officials expressing their support for bidirectional travel on the express lanes.

“Our constituents in Fairfax and Prince William Counties, and those who must continually travel along I-95, experience significant congestion in both directions during peak periods,” McKay and Wheeler wrote. “A bi-directional facility could provide additional options for residents commuting along the corridor, offering much-needed relief. While this will not completely solve congestion on I-95, it will certainly help mitigate it, allowing people to spend less time in traffic and more time with their families.”

The Youngkin administration and the expressway operator, Transurban, have been considering the conversion of the three-lane 31-mile corridor for the past two months, according to Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III.

“This is about doing what’s right for the region, and completing a network of express lanes that make sense, that is reliable and predictable,” said McKay.

Northern Virginia officials have struggled for years to find a solution to address the growing congestion on I-95.

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