Another portion of the Interstate 66 Express Lanes will be opening soon, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The Virginia Department of Transportation said the stretch that is opening is from Interstate 495 through Virginia Route 28 in Centreville.
The westbound lanes will open Nov. 19, and eastbound lanes will open by the end of the month.
Eastbound Express Lanes along the same 13-mile stretch are expected to open before Dec. 1, with all work being weather dependent. Inclement conditions could affect the final opening schedule.
These toll lanes are free for eligible high-occupancy vehicles with an E-ZPass Flex. Thursday’s announcement comes amid a change in HOV eligibility. Those who want to avoid paying to travel in the Express Lanes will now need to have three or more passengers starting Monday, Dec. 5.
Changes to the HOV qualifications will apply “across the entire I-66 corridor including the 22.5-miles of 66 Express Lanes located outside the Beltway, as well as the nine miles of 66 Express Lanes located inside the Beltway between I-495 and Route 29 in Rosslyn, which operate on weekdays during peak periods in peak commute directions.”
The change will impact drivers traveling in the Express Lanes between Haymarket and Gainesville.
“Construction on some project features such as interchange improvements and a shared-use path adjacent to I-66 will continue after the opening of the express lanes,” the department said, “with scheduled completion by mid-2023.”
