A major construction project is entering its final hours in Northern Virginia, but it's still slowing down drivers.
It's been dubbed “big beam weekend” since crews are installing massive steel girders across the inner loop of the beltway for a new express lane ramp. All of this is taking place around the intersection of 495 and the Dulles Toll Road.
The biggest delays News4 has seen have been on 495 just north of Tyson's Corner Center.
Now you might be wondering, why is such a big construction project taking place on a weekend, rather than just doing it overnight, when construction won't impact drivers nearly as much? The Virginia Department of Transportation says it's because it comes down to the scope of the project.
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Crews are set to install five lines of steel girders spanning 295 feet in length across the northbound lanes of the beltway, and there's just no way for them to do that quickly, so the thinking is it's better to do it on a weekend so they don't have to disrupt the weekday commuters.
This is all part of VDOT’s next project, which would extend the 495 express lanes by approximately three miles from the I-95 and Dulles Toll Road interchange to the vicinity of the American Legion bridge. Officials say drivers could start seeing the benefits of this project later this year.
This is going to be a very busy year of construction on I-495’s next project,” said Michelle Holland with VDOT. “You know, this is really where we're working to get the extended traffic express lanes open by the end of this year, so travelers are going to see a lot of construction still throughout our entire work zone on 495.”
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VDOT says right now that the plan is for all lanes to be opened no later than 5 a.m. Monday, so that should not impact the morning rush of commuters as the work week begins.
Another important thing to note is that if you're one of the drivers who has had to take those detours, you will not be charged a toll if you had to take the toll lanes while navigating the weekend construction.
