495 NEXT NEWS
I-495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) Project Update
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In This Issue...
- Construction in Full Force on 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension Project
- Traffic Shifts to Outer Sections of Beltway Complete
- Final Noise Wall Segments Planned to be Completed By Late Summer/Fall 2025
- 495 NEXT Corridor Revegetation Plan Now Available
- Bike to Work Day Showcases 495 NEXT Travel Options
- Under the Hard Hat Profile
- Transurban's Express Lanes Community Grant Program
| | Construction in Full Force on 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension Project | | |
Now in its fourth year of construction, work is in full force on the 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project. Visible progress has been made on widening I-495 (the Capital Beltway) to make room for the new express lanes, as well as constructing new replacement bridges across the Beltway, and building new, upgraded noise walls adjacent to neighboring communities.
With the recently completed shifts of I-495 traffic onto newly completed outer lanes (more information below), crews are now hard at work to build the two-and-a-half miles of new express lanes in the middle section of the Beltway.
In addition to work on the future express lanes, remaining highway work includes:
- August through late 2025: Constructing the second half of the new Georgetown Pike bridge across I-495. After the in-progress new center pier is completed, workers will install steel girders spanning the Beltway, pour the new bridge’s concrete deck, and install signage, traffic lights and road striping – all leading to the bridge being completed in late 2025.
| | The shape of things to come: Girders for the new ramps between the George Washington Memorial Parkway and new express lanes await adjoining girders and abutments to connect the two roadways (July 2025). | |
- Planned for late August: Northbound I-495 traffic heading toward the westbound Dulles Toll Road or Dulles Airport Access Highway will be shifted onto a newly-built ramp at Exit 45. This advancement will enable the reopening of the fourth lane of the northbound Beltway in this area, which has been closed since November 2022.
The above work and other remaining construction will require periodic impactful nighttime and weekend construction activities to stay on track to open the new express lanes in late 2025. The new lanes will extend the existing 14-mile 495 Express Lanes to the north from just past the Dulles Corridor Interchange to the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) near the American Legion Bridge. New ramps will provide express lanes access at the Dulles Toll Road and GWMP.
The remainder of the project, including completion of four miles of new bicycle and pedestrian facilities with a path that is parallel to I-495, and a new parking area for Scott’s Run Nature Preserve, is scheduled to be completed in mid-2026.
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Traffic Shifts to Outer Sections of Beltway Complete
Shifts to enable construction of express lanes in center of Beltway
| | Work on the four new express lanes in the center area of I-495 is now visibly progressing, following traffic shifts onto newly constructed lanes on the outer sections of the Beltway in both north- and southbound directions. The shift for northbound traffic occurred on May 9, while the shift for southbound traffic occurred in two phases on June 27 and July 23. | | Before and after of northbound I-495/Beltway Inner Loop from the Live Oak Drive bridge. Left photo: Before the northbound traffic shift (May 2025). Right photo: After the northbound traffic shift, with work progressing in the center of the Beltway (July 2025). | | |
Work on the new express lanes will be ongoing through late summer and fall, with daytime and nighttime hours, as well as some weekend work. Construction activities include:
- Demolishing retired pavement, jersey barriers and old piers in the highway median for the replaced bridges at Live Oak Drive, Georgetown Pike and Old Dominion Drive
- Constructing new ramps
- Installing overhead bridge girders, concrete decks, guardrails and signage for express lanes ramps to and from the George Washington Memorial Parkway
- Building new drainage infrastructure
- Laying and rolling asphalt and installing lane markings
- Installing roadside and overhead signs and new tolling and traffic management systems infrastructure and equipment
With crews now working in close proximity to traffic in both directions on the Beltway, drivers are reminded to slow down, avoid distractions and drive with heightened caution.
| | Final Noise Wall Segments Planned to be Completed By Late Summer/Fall 2025 | | |
Completing the replacement of old noise walls that were removed to build the project and adding new noise walls remains a top priority on the 495 NEXT project. As of late July 2025, more than 80 percent of noise wall work has been completed.
Anticipated completion timeframes of the remaining noise wall segments are:
- End of August:
- Southbound I-495 between Georgetown Pike and Old Dominion Drive
| | Alongside northbound I-495 north of the Live Oak bridge, crews left open a portion of the otherwise-completed noise wall to provide access for construction vehicles and crews. Noise wall installation is planned to be fully complete in fall 2025 (June 2025). | |
- Late summer/early fall:
- Live Oak Drive in the vicinity of Green Oak Drive and Rivercrest Drive
- Northbound I-495 between Lewinsville Road and Old Dominion Drive
- Northbound I-495 from the Live Oak Drive bridge to the George Washington Memorial Parkway
The new noise walls are designed to provide the same or better protection from future highway traffic noise as the original barriers. More information about the noise walls, including specific attributes affecting individual residents and other properties (e.g., height, level of noise protection, etc.) is available in the Noise Abatement Design Report and Addenda on the Documents and Studies page of the 495 NEXT project website.
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495 NEXT Corridor Revegetation Plan Now Available
Where to find materials online
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Earlier this summer, the 495 NEXT Revegetation Plan and associated supplemental materials were finalized and are now available on the 495 NEXT project website at 495NEXT@vdot.virginia.gov. The final Revegetation Plan and Supplemental Revegetation Plan Exhibits of Seed Mixes and Plant Materials can be found on the Plans, Reports and Roll Plots page. Responses to questions and comments from the Revegetation Plan Public Sessions (held May 23-Sept. 26, 2024) can be found on the FAQs page.
With public input essential to refining the revegetation plan, VDOT and its project partners held drop-in public hours in summer 2024 to provide opportunities for residents to interact with project staff, and learn more and ask questions about the revegetation plan and the overall 495 NEXT project. Other opportunities for the public to learn about and provide input on the revegetation plan occurred through email and phone correspondence, and at project briefings. Main themes voiced by the public included requests for maximizing vegetative screening along roadways adjacent to communities and noise barriers, a preference for trees rather than shrubs, specific planting requests near individual properties, and questions about maintenance and warranty of the plantings.
The Revegetation Plan has maximized vegetative screening by selecting the largest plant species possible for areas where revegetation is possible, while adhering to traffic, utility and safety requirements. Revegetation planting is expected to occur in spring 2026.
| | Bike to Work Day Showcases 495 NEXT Travel Options | | The 495 NEXT project team joined dozens of community members at the Tysons Community Alliance’s first-ever Bike to Work Day (BTWD) pit stop at the Spring Hill Metrorail Station. More than 50 cyclists stopped by to pick up BTWD t-shirts, snacks and refreshments, and learn more about local commuting options. Alongside event partners REI and the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling (FABB), the 495 NEXT team was on hand to interact with the public and provide information about the future bicycle and pedestrian improvements that are being built as part of the overall project. | | Project staff highlighted the future shared-use trail with BTWD participants eager to use a new pedestrian facility (May 2025). | | The project team also shared flyers highlighting the 495 NEXT project’s transit benefits during construction including vanpool and carpool programs, and the Express Route 798 bus service between Tysons and Bethesda. The flyer is available on the 495 NEXT website here. | | The shared-use trail, expected to open in spring/summer 2026, will enhance access to area parks and trails while improving connections for cyclists and pedestrians traveling near the Beltway. | | |
Shared-Use Trail Remains an Active Construction Zone
Pedestrians and cyclists not permitted to use trail segments until opening in 2026
While continuing to take shape, the shared-use path between Lewinsville Road and the George Washington Memorial Parkway remains under construction, with elements such as guardrails not yet installed. The trail is not yet open for public use, and for safety reasons, pedestrians and cyclists should not use any segments of the trail until completion in 2026.
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Under the Hard Hat Profile
Teresa Caccam
Design Manager
Transurban
Q: Describe your role on 495 NEXT as Transurban’s design manager.
A: My role can be broken down into two major tasks: Ensuring the design being produced meets or exceeds Virginia and federal requirements, and acting as an interface between VDOT and the Design-Builder team to ensure the final design addresses input from all stakeholders.
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Q: What is the importance of design management on projects of this size and impact?
A: Every project has a set budget and set timeline. However, because this project has such a large impact on the public and is highly visible on the Beltway, staying true to the timeline is especially important. As requests are being made to the design team and initial input is provided by stakeholders, it’s my job to sort through “wants and needs.” We manage the process of taking the “needs” and making sure they’re incorporated into design in a way that allows for construction to remain on track. After that, we try to include as many of the “wants” as possible.
Q: In what ways has 495 NEXT been unique compared to other projects you’ve supported in your career?
A: The biggest difference between 495 NEXT and others I’ve worked on is that most projects are typically large site developments that have been fenced off completely. Working on this project, with an active highway and high-speed vehicular traffic abutting the job-site, makes concern for job-site and driver safety even more critical. You have to design through a lens that keeps not just the traveling public, but also crews who will work on the road, safe.
Q: What have you enjoyed most about working on 495 NEXT?
A: This is my first time being co-located, where VDOT and the designer share an office together. It’s been fun to be part of a true working partnership. Close collaboration allows people to come up with new ideas and solve problems. Working together daily, one-on-one, has been great for team building.
Q: Are there any defining moments that have helped you progress to your current role?
A: In the past, I’ve had the benefit of working on projects where I have been included in the process from the beginning of design through every phase of design and construction completion. Following a project through all phases helps you see design differently. The knowledge you’ll gain from that experience is something you’ll take with you and continue to use throughout your career.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you have for someone interested in pursuing a career in construction design?
A: As an engineer, you have to continue learning. Engineering is not static. There are new ideas and innovations all the time. If you stop learning, you’ll be left behind. As a designer, it’s good to work on design behind a screen, but also to get your boots on the ground and work on an active construction project. It helps a lot!
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Transurban's Express Lanes Community Grant Program
Groups dedicated to improving communities along the 495 NEXT corridor are invited to submit applications for Transurban's 495 NEXT Community Grant program.
The next deadline to apply for a community grant is September 30, 2025.
Click here to learn more about Transurban’s Express Lanes Community Grant programs and how to apply.
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Project Background
The I-495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project is extending the existing 495 Express Lanes north by two-and-a-half miles from the Dulles Corridor Interchange to the George Washington Memorial Parkway Interchange in the vicinity of the American Legion Bridge. The project is providing new and improved connections at the Dulles Corridor and George Washington Memorial Parkway.
Other project benefits include four miles of new bicycle and pedestrian connections including a shared-use path parallel to I-495 from Lewinsville Road to near Live Oak Drive, replacement or rehabilitation of seven bridges with pedestrian accommodations, replacement of nine existing noise walls and construction of a new noise wall along Live Oak Drive in the vicinity of the George Washington Memorial Parkway Interchange, environmental improvements including stormwater management facilities and funding for stream restoration at Scott's Run, and dedicated funding to support transit improvements in the corridor including new bus service over the American Legion Bridge.
495 NEXT is a public-private partnership project between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Transurban, operator of the existing 495 Express Lanes. Lane Construction is the design-build contractor for the project. The new extended lanes are scheduled to open in late 2025.
| | Learn More About the Project | | |
Email: 495NorthernExtension@vdot.virginia.gov
Call: Construction Inquiry Line, 703-592-6430
Virginia Department of Transportation, Michelle Holland, 703-586-0487
Transurban, Mike McGurk, 571-421-5364
Lane Construction, John Undeland, 703-785-3461
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