08/28/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Y1N6aBQaH/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Back in 2022, during adoption of Prince William County’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan, I called for us to begin working with the Commonwealth and private partners to explore bidirectional capability for the I-95 Express Lanes.
Now, that concept is moving in a much bigger way.
Transurban’s latest announcement points to a major proposed expansion of the corridor, including a significantly larger bidirectional vision for the I-95 Express Lanes than what was being discussed just a few years ago. That is welcome news for a region where congestion no longer moves in just one direction and where reliable travel times matter for workers, families, businesses, and public safety alike.
But this is also an important reminder: the goal cannot just be to move more cars. It has to be to move more people, more reliably, and in more ways.
That means this project should be viewed not only as a roadway investment, but as a multimodal corridor opportunity.
If we are going to expand access to congestion-free lanes, we should also expand the ways people can benefit from them without having to pay a premium toll. That means:
- stronger OmniRide service,
- better park-and-ride access,
- easier and more reliable carpooling/slugging,
- stronger connections to VRE and Metro, and
- transit options that make full use of these lanes in both directions, not just during traditional rush hour.
In other words: more capacity should come with more choices.
This is the kind of project that can help our region, but only if we think bigger than pavement alone. We should be planning now for the buses, transit connections, commuter services, and supporting infrastructure that allow more residents to share in the time savings and reliability these lanes can provide.
That’s what real multimodalism looks like: not roads or transit, but a transportation network where each investment makes the others work better.
