Construction of the new 66 Express Lanes outside the Beltway is now complete. The final section of new lanes opened on November 22, 2022, providing a total of 22.5 miles of express lanes on Interstate 66 from I-495 (the Capital Beltway) to Route 29 (Lee Highway) in Gainesville. Although the new 66 Express Lanes are now open, some construction activities remain on and off the highway.
Current construction activities include:
- Bridge inspections
- Earthwork and drainage along I-66 East and West
- Constructing noise walls along I-66 East and West
- Paving and striping
- Corridor-wide roadway maintenance as needed
The Project Sections page of the website provides a closer look at project features and construction activities.
See construction progress videos and an animated project fly-thru on the project videos page.
What Neighbors Can Expect
- Construction activities will occur during day and nighttime hours as needed to provide safe working conditions for crews and keep the project on track while balancing construction impacts on project neighbors and motorists.
- Lighting of the construction work area will be directed to minimize light pollution for nearby residents.
- Noise to expect at night includes back-up alarms on equipment and trucks, which are necessary to protect worker safety.
- Noisy construction activities will be avoided at night, when possible. Some work over I-66, such as overhead bridge work, requires closure of I-66 travel lanes and must occur during overnight hours.
- The project team coordinates with local governments to balance the needs of completing the project with local noise ordinances.
- In Fairfax County, night work is coordinated with the County.
- In Prince William County, the project is exempt from the Prince William County Noise Ordinance, but the project team is committed to communicating with adjacent properties about planned nighttime work.
- Project emails and website will communicate major traffic impacts or nighttime work. FAM Construction will reach out directly to communities and residents of adjacent properties when project activities will occur near them.
What Drivers Can Expect
- To make room for some construction activities and ensure the safety of drivers and workers, lane closures and temporary traffic shifts will continue throughout the I-66 corridor.
- Planned closures will occur during non-rush hour periods to reduce impact on motorists.
- Construction activities above I-66, such as work on overhead structures that require lane closures and intermittent traffic stoppages to ensure safety, will generally be scheduled for the overnight hours when traffic volumes are lighter.
- Crews are monitoring, refreshing, and repairing pavement markings and other roadway conditions across the project corridor. Drivers are urged to pay attention and slow down through the work zone.
- Additional Virginia State Police troopers and VDOT Safety Service Patrols are assigned to the I-66 corridor to keep traffic moving through the work zone by responding to incidents and swiftly removing them from the roadway.
- Incentive programs are available to encourage travel by commuter bus, carpool, and vanpool in the new 66 Express Lanes.
Staying Informed
Subscribe to Transform 66 Project email updates for the latest information on lane closures and traffic impacts, as well as to learn about construction progress and other project developments. Sign up here.
Have questions or feedback about construction activity near you? Email FAM Construction at outreach@fam66.us or call 703-662-3892. Find the full list of project contacts here.
Resources
Vaden Drive Bridge Construction Update, Dec. 2019 - PDF, 1.7MB |
Fairfax County Parkway Bridge Construction Update, Feb. 2020 - PDF, 520KB |
Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) South Flyover Ramp Construction Update, Jan. 2020, - PDF, 5.6MB |
Route 29 Centreville Bridge Demolition Construction Update, Dec. 2019 - PDF, 2MB |
Upcoming Construction Adjacent to Vienna Station Community, Feb. 2020 - PDF, 4.7MB |
Demolition of Old Bull Run Drive Bridge over I-66 Flyer - PDF, 509KB |