|
The I-495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project has successfully extended the existing 495 Express Lanes north by approximately 2.5 miles from the Dulles Corridor interchange to the George Washington Memorial Parkway interchange just before the American Legion Bridge. The new express lanes extension opened on November 23, 2025, ahead of schedule. The extension connects seamlessly with the existing 14-mile 495 Express Lanes and is part of Northern Virginia's 97-mile network of express lanes.
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, environmental improvements introducing stormwater management facilities and funding of restoration at Scott's Run stream, and dedicated funding to support transit improvements in the corridor including new bus service over the American Legion Bridge. Final completion of all remaining project elements is expected by mid-2026.
495 NEXT is a public-private partnership project between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Transurban, the operator of the existing 495, 95, and 395 Express Lanes. The lead design-build contractor is Lane Construction, with Shirley Contracting Company building key interchange improvements.
|