road construction | FFXnow

Virginia officials promise traffic relief with new I-495 toll lanes opening this weekend

Published November 21, 2025 at 3:30PM

Officials cut a ribbon to celebrate the impending opening of new I-495 Express Lanes (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

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.

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Expanded Walker Road bridge now open in Great Falls

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 19, 2025 at 10:00AM

The new, two-lane Walker Road bridge over Piney Run in Great Falls (via VDOT)

The Virginia Department of Transportation has completed its overhaul of the Walker Road bridge over Piney Run.

The new bridge between Walker Mill Road and Park Royal Drive in Great Falls features two lanes for traffic with a sidewalk on the south side. It has no weight limit, unlike the previous one-lane bridge, which could only support vehicles up to 10 tons.

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UPDATED: New I-495 toll lanes on track to open before Thanksgiving

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 30, 2025 at 1:45PM | Updated November 10, 2025 at 5:12PM

Construction continues on the new toll lanes on I-495 approaching the George Washington Memorial Parkway interchange (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

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.

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Lane closures to disrupt traffic on I-495 South in McLean overnight

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 16, 2025 at 3:00PM

Construction area along I-495 at the GW Parkway interchange (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Virginia Department of Transportation is urging drivers to avoid traveling on southbound I-495 in McLean tonight (Thursday) while its crews finish realigning the highway.

Three southbound lanes will close to traffic, starting at 8:30 p.m. with a single left lane and continuing with two other lanes by 9:30 p.m. The closures will extend from Georgetown Pike to the area just south of the American Legion Bridge.

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Construction begins to standardize complex Fairfax Blvd intersection

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 29, 2025 at 8:30AM

Concept plan for the Fairfax Blvd, Warwick Avenue and McLean Avenue intersection improvements (via City of Fairfax)

Work began on Monday (Aug. 25) to overhaul a currently awkward intersection along Route 50 (Fairfax Blvd) in Fairfax City.

While construction may cause some disruptions, the resulting reconfiguration of the area where Fairfax Blvd, Warwick Avenue and McLean Avenue meet should make travel smoother and safer in the future, according to the city.

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Construction begins on new ramps at GW Parkway and Route 123 in McLean

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 11, 2025 at 8:30AM

The existing ramps between the southbound GW Parkway and westbound Route 123 are being demolished and replaced (via National Park Service)

Construction is getting underway on a partial revamp of the George Washington Memorial Parkway and Route 123 (Dolley Madison Blvd) interchange in McLean.

The ramps that connect southbound GW Parkway to westbound Route 123 and vice versa has closed starting today (Monday) so that work can begin on two new ramps, the National Park Service (NPS) announced last week.

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Work to begin on extending I-495 ramp in McLean, affecting traffic

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 30, 2025 at 8:30AM

The merge area from northbound I-495 to the George Washington Memorial Parkway will be temporarily reduced to one lane, starting July 30, 2025 (via VDOT)

The I-495 Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project will introduce another change to the traffic patterns in McLean tonight (Wednesday).

Construction crews are scheduled to begin work this week on an extension of the northbound I-495 (Capital Beltway Inner Loop) ramp to southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway (GW Parkway), requiring the highway to be narrowed.

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Travel-lane shifts coming as Rolling Road widening rolls ahead

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 25, 2025 at 8:30AM

Current conditions on Rolling Road (courtesy VDOT)

Drivers should expect new travel patterns as the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) enters the second phase of its Rolling Road widening project.

Beginning the week of July 28, traffic shifts are coming as part of the effort to widen 1.5 miles of the road from two lanes to four between Viola Street and Kenwood Avenue in the West Springfield area.

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Traffic Alert: Paving work closes lanes on Old Dominion Drive in McLean

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 24, 2025 at 2:20PM

Lanes closed on Old Dominion Drive for repaving (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Commuters might want to think twice before braving Old Dominion Drive in McLean this afternoon (Thursday).

The road is undergoing paving work today, requiring alternating lane closures for both west and eastbound traffic from Briar Ridge Road near the Chesterbrook Shopping Center past Little Falls Road in Arlington County.

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Vienna makes progress on signal, accessibility upgrades along Maple Avenue

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 18, 2025 at 8:30AM

Construction is underway on new curb ramps at the Maple Avenue and Lawyers Road intersection in Vienna (photo by Amy Woolsey)

Drivers heading through Vienna on Maple Avenue might’ve encountered some construction work over the past month.

Since mid-June, contractor Sagres Construction has been working to replace the brick crosswalks and curb ramps at the commercial thoroughfare’s intersections with East Street and Lawyers Road.