In three weeks, the speed limit is going up on the Capital Beltway's Express Lanes in northern Virginia.
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Friday that the speed limit will increase on the Express Lanes June 24 from 55 mph to 65 mph.
The speed limit on the regular Beltway lanes will remain 55 mph.
The $2 billion Express Lanes opened in November under a public-private partnership on a 14-mile stretch of the Beltway. Users of the Express Lanes pay a variable toll, depending on the length of the trip and the amount of traffic, generally ranging from about 50 cents to $5. Carpools of three or more are exempt from the tolls.
Transurban Spokesperson Michael McGurk told News4 he is not expecting an increase in express lane accidents.
"VDOT approved the safety study, so we're excited to be able to offer this to out travelers on the 494 express lanes," McGurk said. "I don't know if it would necessarily encourage more people to use the express lanes, but I do think that it will help with the flow of traffic."
The road's operators reported in the months after the Express Lanes opened that volume had not met initial projections.
The change will be effective June 24.
