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22.5 miles of toll lanes on I-66 outside the Beltway set to open by end of year


 22.5 miles of toll lanes on I-66 outside the Beltway set to open by end of year. (7News)
22.5 miles of toll lanes on I-66 outside the Beltway set to open by end of year. (7News)
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VDOT says a massive 22.5 mile project to add toll lanes to I-66 outside the Beltway is on schedule to open before the end of this year.

Although VDOT has not given an exact date yet, spokesperson Michelle Holland tells 7 News that as long as the weather does not cause major construction delays, the new express lanes should open some time in December at the latest. Construction on the lanes has now been going on more than four years.

The news from VDOT is in stark contrast to a roughly one year delay 7News reported on last week involving an extension of the I-95 express lanes, which are now not expected to open until late 2023.

When the I-66 project is finished, there will be two toll lanes and three free lanes between the Beltway and Gainesville in Prince William County. The project has required a lot of work outside of just building new lanes, including new bridges and ramps and work on roads that connect with I-66.

Holland says a lot of work is already done, but there is still some major work left to do. She says drivers should look for updates on the project’s website to be prepared for lane closures that will continue to happen at times.

“There will be closures during non-peak times,” Holland said. “So that would be during mid-daytime hours, and during overnight hours and on weekends.”

Among the work Holland says is still to be done: final paving work that is estimated to start in June, work on ramps, and work at major interchanges such as with the Beltway and Rt. 28.

When the lanes open they will be operated by Express Mobility Partners.

Drivers will need an E-ZPass to pay for the toll lanes unless they set it on HOV because they have three or more people in the car. Holland says when the express lanes outside the Beltway open, lanes on I-66 inside the Beltway that are currently HOV-2 will become HOV-3 as well. Drivers heading eastbound on 66 inside the Beltway during morning rush and westbound during evening rush currently have to pay a toll unless there are two or more people in the car.

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