Expect delays on the I-495 outer loop Thursday morning.
Beltway Lane Shifts Could Snarl Morning Commute
Drivers using the I-495 outer loop through McLean and Tysons face potential backups Thursday as overnight lane closures wrap up just before the morning rush.
- Three lanes on the I-495 South outer loop will be down to one from 10 p.m. Wednesday until around 5 a.m. Thursday.
- Lane realignments are part of the 495 Next project to extend express lanes.
- All lanes are expected to reopen by 6 a.m. Thursday.
- Officials advise drivers to allow extra travel time or seek alternate routes.
Commuters hitting the Capital Beltway on Thursday morning might want to budget a little extra time. The Virginia Department of Transportation has scheduled overnight work that will see three lanes of the I-495 South outer loop shut down. While these lanes will reopen before the peak of rush hour, officials are warning of potential lingering traffic snarls, possibly even extending into Maryland.
Will I-495 traffic be worse Thursday morning? Officials anticipate that while all lanes will be open by 6 a.m., the lane shifts may cause backups.
The temporary lane closures, affecting the stretch through McLean and Tysons, are part of the ongoing 495 Next project. This initiative aims to extend the I-495 express lanes northward, connecting them from the Dulles Toll Road all the way to the American Legion Bridge.
Michelle Holland with the Virginia Department of Transportation emphasized the importance of traveler awareness. “We just want people that have to travel during the early morning commute tomorrow to be aware that this is happening,” Holland said. “And to try to build in some extra travel time or if they take an alternate route, to do so.”
Specifically, from 10 p.m. Wednesday until roughly 5 a.m. Thursday, the outer loop will be reduced to a single lane. This lane reduction spans from Georgetown Pike South, continuing past Old Dominion Drive, and ending just before Lewinsville Road.
“We’ll still have the same number of lanes available,” Holland explained, clarifying the setup. “There continues to be, you know, when all lanes are open, four lanes in both the northbound and southbound directions, but they’ll just be driving in a slightly new alignment shifted again to the outer edges of the beltway.”
Despite the temporary squeeze, all lanes are slated to be fully operational by 6 a.m. Thursday, designed to minimize impact on the morning commute. However, the residual effects of the overnight work could still create delays for drivers heading into Maryland.
The express lane extension, a major component of the 495 Next project, is on track to open by the end of the year.
