VDOT Capital Beltway (I-495) EXPRESS Lanes Design-Build

Capital Beltway Express (CBE) LLC, a concession formed by Fluor and Transurban (USA), signed a Comprehensive Development Agreement with Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in 2007 to design, construct, finance, and operate a new EXPRESS Lanes system along a 14-mile segment of I-495 (Capital Beltway.) The project was a public-private partnership (P3) between VDOT and Fluor-Transurban.

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) played an active role in the project that expanded public transportation in the corridor.

CBE contracted the Fluor-Lane team for the design-build portion of the project. The Fluor-Lane design-build team opened 11 major interchanges and bridges along the 14-mile project footprint. The 1,100 member Fluor-Lane and subcontractor teams worked two shifts, often seven days a week replacing bridges, overpasses and adding four new lanes to the Beltway.

The Capital Beltway (I-495) EXPRESS lanes expansion completed ahead of schedule in November 2012.

The project was recognized for creating business opportunities for minority subcontractors. The National Association of Minority Contractors Washington Area Chapter (NAMC-WMAC) cited Fluor-Lane's "vigorous outreach" and noteworthy engagement of more than 185 minority contractors on this important project.

Fluor-Lane had a significant impact in developing local transportation contractors to take on future work in the region, according to the NAMC-WMAC.

The I-495 EXPRESS Lanes project achieved 5 million safe work hours without a lost-time incident in September 2012. This outstanding safety performance ranks the I-495 EXPRESS Lanes among the safest heavy civil projects in the nation.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Fluor was heralded by public and private officials for their momentous effort to complete the project safely and efficiently.

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Client's Challenge

The I-495 project was aimed at relieving traffic congestion on the Beltway in Fairfax County, Virginia, a region that is often listed as one with the highest level of congestion in the U.S.

The new EXPRESS lanes offer HOV-3 connections with I-95 / 395, I-66, and the Dulles Toll Road for the first time. Buses, carpools, and vanpools with three or more people can either travel free in the general-purpose lanes, or pay a toll to ride in the EXPRESS lanes.

Source: Virginia Department of Transportation website

Fluor's Solution

The design-build team of Fluor-Lane, LLC, contracted to CBE, made the following improvements along I-495:

Increased the existing 8 lanes to 12 by adding two general purpose lanes to the outside in each direction and creating four EXPRESS lanes (2x2) in the center.
Upgraded 11 key interchanges.
Replaced more than $260 million of aging infrastructure, including 58 new bridges.

Constructed 80,000 square feet of sound walls.
Made construction modifications that will enable future connections with HOV networks on other freeways.
Installed a new state-of-the-art Traffic Management System to manage the EXPRESS lanes, in order to keep traffic free flowing at all times.

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Conclusion

Over one weekend in October 2010, the Fluor-Lane team completed demolition of the northbound overpass crossing heavily traveled Chain Bridge Road in Tysons Corner, an economic hub of Northern Virginia, 14 hours ahead of schedule.

In June 2011, Fluor-Lane opened the new Washington & Old Dominion Trail Bridge that provides improved access to the multi-use trail used daily by hundreds of area runners, bikers, and walkers.

The Fluor approach minimized the impact of construction on highway neighbors, businesses and the environment.

Teaming with Transurban and the Virginia Department of Transportation, express lanes designed to relieve one of the most congested highway systems in the United States opened ahead of schedule and just in time for peak usage during the 2012 holiday season.