WASHINGTON — New numbers from the Virginia Express Lanes operator show the number of daily trips are increasing.
Transurban reports the average number of daily trips on the 95 Express Lanes are 45,000, up from the previous quarter’s 32,000. On the 495 Express Lanes, the average number of daily trips are 42,000, up from 35,000 in June 2014 and 29,000 in June 2013.
“I think we still have a number of areas to grow both on 495 and 95. Only 52 percent of area drivers have used the 495 Express Lanes, so certainly there are still people out there who haven’t tried the lanes. And just as we see on 95 today, we do see new E-ZPass transponders out on the 495 Express Lanes as well,” says Transurban spokesman Mike McGurk.
About one-third of all trips on the 95 Express Lanes are HOV, which is free with an E-ZPass Flex. Only about 13 percent on the 495 Express Lanes are HOV trips.
Transurban has collected about $28 million in toll revenue from the two roadways.
“Our research tells us on 95 there is a lot of opportunity in Prince William County and Stafford for folks that are likely to use the lanes, but haven’t yet taken the first step. So there is still education for us to do,” McGurk says.
Transurban released ridership statistics every quarter.
