VDOT efforts at McLean draw community criticism and backlash

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Some McLean residents have been horrified in recent weeks by the cutting of trees near Live Oak Drive ahead of the construction of a new interchange for the 495 NEXT project and say the result will look like the jumble of flyovers at Springfields Mixing Bowl.

Opponents blasted what they said was miscommunication by transportation officials. And they wonder if the massive collection of ramps is necessary, since Maryland, which has yet to approve express lanes on its side of the American Legion Bridge, allows truck traffic on high-occupancy toll lanes. , unlike Virginia.

The new ramps will allow trucks entering Maryland to immediately exit toll lanes and enter general-use lanes on the Beltway, said critics, who would prefer Maryland to build the on/off ramps on its side of the bridge.

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Why is the VDOT now cutting acres of trees to extend toll lanes half a mile to an already congested and overcapacity American Legion Bridge with no approved plan, funding or schedule in place to to connect to the future paths of Maryland? asked a group of residents in a statement.

Because Maryland cannot obtain approvals to build on its side of the bridge, the scope of the footprint at McLean has been greatly expanded to account for Maryland’s lack of progress, according to the group’s statement.

VDOT officials said the clearing near Live Oak Drive, which occurred within the agency’s existing right-of-way, was necessary to accommodate the widening of I-495 for additional express lanes, as well as the construction of a new retaining wall and a project. new noise barrier.

The project will introduce two new ramps at the I-495 and George Washington Memorial Parkway interchange area. Both will provide connections for Express Lanes traffic in Virginia.

One ramp connects the northbound 495 expressways to the eastbound George Washington Memorial Parkway, and the other ramp connects motorists heading west on the parkway to the southbound 495 expressways.

These new ramps are being built within the existing VDOT right-of-way, in the same area as the current interchange, VDOT spokeswoman Michelle Holland said.

VDOT designed the interchange so that when (for now, that’s if) Maryland officials move forward with their managed lane project, they’ll be able to build the necessary connecting ramps within the footprint of the interchange. existing interchange, she said.

VDOT presented the design of the ramps to McLean residents and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Transportation Committee, as well as to the public at meetings in September 2021. Since then, the agency has continued to hold meetings with the local community, Holland said.

The ramps will be about 30 feet higher than the existing ones, VDOT officials said.

VDOT modified the original design presented in October 2020 and the version introduced in September 2021 reduced the impacts on a neighborhood next to Live Oak Drive, slightly reduced the displacement of this street and maintained the number of existing parking spaces Langley Swim Club, she said.

Since then, VDOT officials said the agency has further modified the design to reduce impacts on the right-of-way, visual impacts and construction. The planned stormwater management pond was surrounded by a loop ramp. The VDOT also eliminated the need for 1,500 linear feet of large diameter pipe and reduced the number of stormwater facilities in the project corridor.

VDOT has an outreach team to keep the public informed of project design and construction progress and works to inform affected communities before construction activities and traffic-related impacts occur. , said Holland.

Virginia officials, including the governor, were optimistic in March at the launch of the 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project, which will add two high-occupancy toll lanes in each direction for 2.5 miles between the Dulles Toll Road and near the American Legion Bridge.

The $660 million privately-funded project is a public-private partnership between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Transurban, which has built expressways elsewhere in northern Virginia.

Not everyone was in favor of continuing the work, as Maryland officials had not finalized plans to build similar lanes on the other side of the bridge. The project has been backed by the administration of outgoing Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, but his new successor, Wes Moore, seems less enthusiastic.

Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville), who was among the few board members opposed to green light work on the Virginia side until Maryland confirmed its commitment, expressed frustration with the how the project has gone so far.

I am confident that the impacts to the neighborhood and parks, congestion and traffic cannot be justified until we know Maryland will move forward with the widening of the bridge, he said. . Rushed and they didn’t seem to back down.

Community outreach efforts like those that marked the VDOT’s project to widen Route 7 have been absent from the 495 NEXT initiative, Foust said.

They just tell residents what they’re going to do, he said.

Telling me you’re going to plow my front yard is not the same as telling me about possible alternatives and how we might mitigate that.

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