Virginias Dept. of Transportation intends to use a public-private partnership to add two high-occupancy toll lanes in each direction on a 14-mile segment of Virginias Capital Beltway. The congestion-prone highway, Interstate 495, is a 70-mile loop around Washington, D.C., that continues into Maryland. The toll lanes will be added to a section from the Springfield interchange north almost to Maryland.
VDOT Commissioner Philip Shucet announced a comprehensive agreement with Fluor Corp., Aliso Viejo, Calif., and Australian consultant Transurban on April 29. The partnership would fund 15% of the design-build-operate-maintain deal, estimated at $900-million. Toll revenue would retire the debt.