After more than three years of construction, the new Capital Beltway toll lanes in McLean will welcome their first drivers on Sunday (Nov. 23), just in time for next week’s Thanksgiving travel rush.
Though the start of tolling operations has been delayed by a day due to expected rain tonight (Friday), Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay and other officials gathered this morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in anticipation of the occasion at the Hyatt Regency hotel at Tysons Corner Center.
Recalling a recent drive returning from Maryland to Vienna where it took him almost two hours to reach the American Legion Bridge, McKay noted that the quality of infrastructure and commute lengths “can be the deciding factor for a lot of families about whether they stay in Northern Virginia or go somewhere else.”
“This project is so important to the future economy of Virginia,” McKay said. “It’s so important and hopeful. And I am hopeful that it will induce Maryland to finally work with us on the American Legion Bridge and get this whole corridor corrected so that our economy can fire on all cylinders in this area.”
Youngkin, who closed out the ceremony, echoed that encouragement for Maryland to follow Virginia’s lead and “invest aggressively” in highway infrastructure and transportation.
With the final month of his term as governor approaching, he expressed support for the Virginia Department of Transportation’s proposal to complete the I-495 Express Lanes network by extending them on the south side and urged his successor, Abigail Spanberger, to prioritize the possibility of making the I-95 Express Lanes bidirectional.
Extending the 495 Express Lanes approximately 2.5 miles from the Dulles Toll Road in Tysons to just north of the George Washington Memorial Parkway in McLean, the 495 NEXT project was initiated by Virginia in 2019 as a joint effort with Maryland to relieve congestion in the only corridor directly connecting Fairfax and Montgomery counties — the most populous municipalities in each state.
While Maryland’s bid to add toll lanes and replace the aging American Legion Bridge has stalled, VDOT maintains that the new 495 Express Lanes will “provide faster, more reliable trips for area travelers” even without any changes on the other side of the Potomac River.
“These express lanes are going to make an immediate difference. We’re delivering results now,” Virginia Transportation Secretary Shep Miller said, adding that more benefits — including 6.5 miles of sidewalks and shared-use paths — are “coming in mid-2026.”
In addition to adding two toll lanes in each direction and a shared-use path from Lewinsville Road to near Live Oak Drive in McLean, the approximately $660 million project will support the Express Route 798 bus service that Fairfax Connector added between Tysons and Bethesda last fall.
Managed by private operator Transurban, the 495 Express Lanes are free to use for transit and high-occupancy vehicles carrying three or more people.
“495 NEXT is just the beginning. It’s just the latest milestone in our long-term dedication to bringing travel choices to our region,” Transurban North America President Beau Memory said. “So, today, as we cut this ribbon, we’re not just opening more express lanes, we’re opening more opportunities — opportunities for faster commutes, safer travel and stronger connections for all of us.”
Lane and ramp closures required before toll lanes open
Calling 495 NEXT the “most significant change” to the Beltway since the original I-495 toll lanes opened in November 2012, VDOT advises drivers to be patient and cautious as they become accustomed to the new travel patterns.
Before the express lanes open, VDOT announced earlier this week that a number of lane and ramp closures will be required so crews can implement “final details including updating on-road signage, final ‘tie-in’ work, and opening of new connections.”
The closures and detours are expected to occur around 8 p.m. tomorrow night (Saturday) to 6 a.m. Sunday:
On the I-495 general-purpose lanes from about 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22 until approximately 2 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23:
- Single left lane closure on southbound I-495 from George Washington Memorial Parkway to Lewinsville Road Bridge.
- Mobile lane closures on southbound I-495 from River Road in Maryland to George Washington Memorial Parkway.
- Single left lane closure on northbound I-495 from Route 7 to George Washington Memorial Parkway.
On the current 495 Express Lanes and entrance ramps from about 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22 until approximately 6 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23:
- Current northbound 495 Express Lanes closed beginning north of Route 7. All drivers will be detoured off northbound 495 Express Lanes to Route 7 exit
- Entry ramps to northbound 495 Express Lanes from Westpark Drive and Scotts Crossing Road closed
- Entry ramp to southbound 495 Express Lanes from Dulles Toll Road closed
- Current northernmost exit from 495 Express Lanes to northbound I-495 general-purpose lanes closed permanently
- Current northernmost entry from I-495 general-purpose lanes to southbound 495 Express Lanes closed permanently
On the Dulles Toll Road (Route 267) from about 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22 until approximately 6 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23:
- Ramp from eastbound Dulles Access Road to eastbound Dulles Toll Road closed
- Eastbound Dulles Toll Road ramp to northbound I-495 general- purpose lanes closed
- Multi-lane closure on eastbound Dulles Toll Road from near Route 7 to I-495
- Mobile lane closure on westbound Dulles Toll Road from near Kirby Road to I-495 until about 2 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23.
On the George Washington Memorial Parkway from about 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22 until approximately 2 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 23:
- Mobile closures along the approach to northbound I-495.
All entry and exit ramps to the express lanes are expected to be open by 6 a.m. Sunday, with the full extension becoming operational by mid-morning.
“Drivers will know an entry to the Extension is open when wayfinding signs are visible, toll pricing is active, and barriers are removed,” VDOT said in a press release. “Drivers should not attempt to access an entry that still appears closed or is in the process of opening.”
