• Read the 495 Southside Express Lanes Study – Spring 2024 Newsletter
• VDOT is currently conducting the 495 Southside Express Lanes Study (495 Southside Study), which involves assessing a potential extension of the Express Lanes system on I-495 (the Capital Beltway) for 11 miles from the Springfield interchange (I-95/I-395/I-495) to MD 210 in Prince George’s County, Maryland.  Information on the project can be found on the I-495 Southside Express Lane Project Website. The 495 Southside Express Lanes study is included in VDOT’s current Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP), as well as in the National Capital Region's Visualize 2045 Constrained Long Range Plan (CLRP) as of June 2021. The study will evaluate a one-lane express lanes alternative, a two-lane express lanes alternative, a no build alternative, and be informed by agency and public input.
• VDOT held public information meetings in September 2023 to provide an update on the 495 Express Lanes Study (meeting materials).  A community comment period was open in fall 2023 - view the Comment Summary Report. More information is available in VDOT's August 2023 newsletter update.  
• See the FAQs on this project
• The City provided input to VDOT on this phase of the study and included concerns heard from the community at the various public meetings.

Transurban, the company that is building and managing the I-395 Express Lanes project, informed the City of Alexandria and VDOT in October 2018 that it would like to analyze the possibility of opening the south-facing ramp at the Seminary Road exit for high occupancy toll (HOT) paying vehicles. The south-facing ramp, opened in early 2016, was planned to remain restricted high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) and transit traffic traveling north in the morning and south in the evening, even after completion of the I-395 Express Lanes. The existing north-facing ramp (serving traffic going to and from points north, in the mornings and evenings respectively) was always planned to serve HOV, transit and HOT paying vehicles as a part of the I-395 Express Lanes project. City of Alexandria Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES) staff is coordinating with Transurban and VDOT on an analysis (to be conducted by Transurban) of the forecasted traffic changes that could occur from the proposed change. 

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the project was put on hold in 2020.  In November 2021, VDOT and Transurban notified staff that they planned to move forward with this project.   For more information, read the Memo to City Council that was distributed on November 16.  The Intersection Modification Report (IMR) will be approved this month, and VDOT hosted a public meeting on December 6, 2021.  On January 12, the Commonwealth Transportation Board took action to designate the current HOV only ramps as HOT with HOV-3 occupancy, consistent with the 395 Express Lanes. 

• In January 2022, the Commonwealth Transportation Board took action to designate the current HOV-only ramps as HOT with HOV-3 occupancy, consistent with the 395 Express Lanes. 
• December 6, 2021 VDOT public meeting Presentation  
• December 9, 2019 VDOT public meeting Presentation and Meeting comment summary report 
• Read the City of Alexandria's response to the traffic study assessing conversion of the I-395 ramp from a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)-only ramp to a High Occupancy Toll (HOT) ramp. 

• VDOT I-495 Southside Express Lanes project webpage

• City of Alexandria Comments on I-495 Express Lane Study (October 2, 2023) (pdf)

• City of Alexandria Comments on I-495 Southside Express Lanes Study (June 16, 2022) (pdf)

• VDOT I-395 Express Lanes project webpage
• Transurban I-395 Express Lanes project webpage
• Memo to Alexandria City Council from the City Manager (May 16, 2019), updating the HOV ramp study  proposal by Transurban. (pdf, presentation)
• Memo to Alexandria City Council from the City Manager (Nov 8, 2018), stating the City position on this issue. (pdf)
• Alexandria City Council Resolution No. 2520 (2012), expressing a preference for a ramp option that minimizes traffic volume traveling to and from Seminary Road east of I-395. (pdf)
• Development Framework - 395 Project in Northern Virginia (2015), describing the basic scope of the I-395 Express Lanes extension between VDOT and Transurban. (pdf)
• Letter from the VDOT Secretary to jurisdictions (2015), describing the basic scope of the I-395 Express Lanes project. (pdf)
• Letter from Mayor Allison Silberberg to VDOT Secretary (2018), expressing the City of Alexandria's opposition to changes to the ramp, and encouraging a full analysis and outreach process. (pdf)