I-495 Southside: Virginia Redesigns Bridge to Save Space for Future Rail

Virginia has submitted a revised plan for the I-495 Southside Express Lanes project to regional planners.

The proposal covers an 11-mile stretch from just east of the Springfield Interchange in Fairfax County to just east of Maryland Route 210. The new design allocates four general-purpose lanes and two express lanes in each direction across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. To make room for potential future Metrorail service, the design narrows the breakdown lanes to a few feet. This renders the lanes unusable for vehicles with mechanical issues or involved in crashes.

To compensate for the loss of usable breakdown space, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) plans to station tow trucks on both sides of the bridge continuously. This ensures vehicles in trouble are removed quickly. Secretary of Transportation Nick Donohue presented these changes to the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) on Oct. 21. He emphasized that the state aims to reduce negative impacts on local roads and address spillover traffic concerns raised by leaders in Alexandria, Fairfax, and Prince George’s counties.

The project stalled late last year when regional leaders voted to exclude it from the Visualize 2050 long-range transportation plan. VDOT rolled out the new design last month to restart the process. Donohue acknowledged that the previous administration made messaging and policy errors. He stated that the current approach is a collaborative effort to address those past mistakes. Maryland, D.C., and some Virginia officials had opposed the earlier version due to transit and traffic concerns.

Kanti Srikanth, the TPB’s staff director, outlined the steps required for a final vote in March. The board must first authorize an air-quality analysis. Srikanth believes this can be completed within a few months. If the report finishes by early February, it will enter a mandatory public-review period. This timeline allows for a final TPB vote in March. Maryland’s assistant secretary of transportation, Joe McAndrew, expressed appreciation for the revised approach but noted that more work remains. He stated that progress is needed before full support is given.

Local officials remain cautious. Prince George’s County Council member Eric Olson stressed the need for front-line public engagement to address spillover traffic. Rockville Mayor Monique Ashton called for written agreements to prevent future changes. Sen. Jennifer Boysko said the revision gives her some hope. Alexandria City Council member Canek Aguirre noted that the vision has changed and is willing to consider the proposal. Virginia officials plan to hold public information meetings on both sides of the Potomac before the end of the year, though dates are not yet set.

Governor Abigail Spanberger’s term ends in January 2030. Donohue warned that the plan must be approved and ready within that timeframe to avoid a potential successor reversing course. If the regional board gives the go-ahead early next year, Donohue expects construction to begin in late 2029 or early 2030. Arlington County Board member Susan Cunningham agreed that the project needs to be finalized to avoid moving backward. Ashton added that the agreements must outlast the current officials.