There may be another roadblock in the path toward adding high occupancy toll lanes along Interstate 95 in Virginia.
One of the HOT lanes' two contractors told an Australian newspaper Monday it'll back out if state officials take more than a year to complete an environmental review.
“We’ve been negotiating and we’re ready to move, but the [approval] process is largely out of hands,” Transurban CEO Chris Lynch said.
This may spell another potential blow for a project practically delayed from the start. Construction was stalled 18 months after Arlington County sued over an environmental study. The state has since decided to move the project out of Arlington.
HOT lanes are now planned for I-95 from Garrisonville Road in Stafford County to Edsall Road in Fairfax.
Spokesmen with Virginia's Department of Transportation said another yearlong delay isn’t likely.
“We’re moving very aggressively to move this project to construction,” state Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton told The Washington Examiner. “We share their frustration regarding this project.”
