Update — The new I-495 Express Lanes are on track to open ahead of schedule on Saturday, Nov. 22, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced on Nov. 10.
In addition to two toll lanes in each direction, the opening will include dedicated ramps from the Dulles Toll Road to the northbound express lanes and between the express lanes and the GW Parkway.
Earlier: The new Capital Beltway (I-495) toll lanes that have been under construction in the McLean area for more than three years should open in time for holiday travelers.
The Virginia Department of Transportation announced today (Thursday) that its northern extension of the I-495 Express Lanes is scheduled to open in late November, aiming to beat the rush of travelers hitting the road for Thanksgiving, which falls this year on Nov. 27.
“This latest addition to Northern Virginia’s existing 94-mile network of connected express lanes will provide new choices for faster and more reliable travel, in an area of the Beltway that consistently faces lengthy backups and travel delays,” VDOT Megaprojects Director Michelle Shropshire said in the announcement.
Under construction since March 2022, the project known as 495 NEXT is extending the existing I-495 Express Lanes approximately 2.5 miles north from the Dulles Toll Road interchange in Tysons to the George Washington Memorial Parkway in McLean, just shy of the American Legion Bridge.
In addition to adding two toll lanes in each direction, the project is reconfiguring the Dulles corridor, Georgetown Pike and GW Parkway interchanges with new lanes and ramps, installing additional stormwater ponds, replacing or expanding bridges to include sidewalks, and a parallel shared-use path from Lewinsville Road to near Live Oak Drive.
The revamped bridges and most of the pedestrian improvements are slated to be complete next year, with the overall project finishing in mid-2026.
Construction crews recently finished realigning the southbound general purpose lanes and will spend the next month completing the new toll lanes in the center portion of the highway, according to VDOT.
“Critical construction activities that must be completed include paving, lane marking, installation of roadway signs and completion of new express lanes ramps,” VDOT said. “The planned opening date will be provided in the coming weeks, once these activities, which are weather dependent, are completed.”
Like the existing I-495 Express Lanes, the extension will be free to use for high-occupancy vehicles with three or more people as well as transit — a boon for the express bus service between Tysons and Bethesda that Fairfax Connector launched last fall.
Fairfax County was able to introduce the bus route early with the help of state funding, per VDOT:
The Route 798 bus service, which launched in September 2024, was made possible through an early commitment of $5.2 million by the Commonwealth to purchase the buses and $2 million from the 495 NEXT Transportation Management Plan to begin operations during construction. Annual transit payments from Transurban, starting at $2.2 million, will fund continued service of this important transit service.
However, 495 NEXT’s congestion relief benefits are expected to be limited, local leaders have lamented, until their counterparts in Maryland move forward with plans to replace and add toll lanes on the American Legion Bridge.
After earlier efforts stalled due to local opposition and the departure of its private partner, express lanes operator Transurban, Maryland resumed its long-gestating plans to replace the bridge — the only direct connection between northern Fairfax and Montgomery County — last year by sending field teams to survey McLean.
However, budget woes led state officials to again delay the project, which Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has argued should prioritize transit and bicycle access. A Maryland Department of Transportation spokesperson told WJLA earlier this month that the American Legion Bridge plan is still in effect, with funding available to complete field studies.
According to VDOT, 495 NEXT cost $660 million, with Transurban overseeing the final design, construction, operation and maintenance of the new express lanes. Maryland has yet to secure the federal funds likely necessary to get its project off the ground.
