FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Plans are moving ahead to widen a 4-mile stretch of eastbound Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway. Residents who live near the highway had the chance to learn about the project and ask questions.
Plenty of people turned out at the Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School to hear and see the Virginia Department of Transportation’s plans.
“It’s adding a third lane between the Dulles Connector Road and Ballston exit, Fairfax Drive, exit 71,” said Amanda Baxter, VDOT project manager.
“50 percent of the traffic merges into I-66 inside the Beltway where the Dulles Connector meets 66 … there’s a tremendous choke point there.”
Some nearby residents are worried about additional noise after a third lane is added.
John Naman, who lives on Highland Avenue where I-66 splits, says it’s noisy now and he’s concerned it will get worse.
“We’re picking up even more noise now because of the Silver Line, the traffic and motorcycles,” he said.
Naman was pleased with assurances offered by VDOT that there would be a sound analysis done to determine if his neighborhood should have a noise barrier.
Several residents expressed concern about commuters cutting through their streets once tolling is put in place on the highway, and some are worried that the project might hurt home values in the area.
“As houses become closer to large highways the noise factor increases and it can impact those houses closes to to the project,” said Barb Spollen, a Fairfax-based real estate agent.
VDOT says it’s just kicking off the design and environmental assessment of the widening project but the plan is to begin construction in late 2017.
