Status of I-66 Corridor Improvement Projects: US Route 15 to I-495

1. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Department of Transportation
Status of
I-66 Corridor Improvement Projects
US Route15 to I-495

2. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Tiered Approach to NEPA Process
• Tier 1 (completed) – Examines potential
impacts and focuses on broad issues at
conceptual level
• Tier 2 (next step) – Analyzes one or more
improvement concepts from Tier 1 EIS and
focuses on site specific details, including
impacts, cost and mitigation measures
Department of Transportation
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3. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Tier I Process
• Summer 2011 – Study Start
• June 2011 – Public Information Meeting
• Jan./Feb. 2012 – Public Information Meeting
• February 2013 – Draft Environmental Impact
Statement Released
• March 2013 – Public Hearing
• November 2013 – Final Environmental Impact
Statement and Record of Decision
Department of Transportation
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4. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Tier 1 EIS
• Key purposes to address:
– Existing and future capacity deficiencies
– Improve spot locations/chokepoints
– Limited mode choices
– Safety deficiencies
– Unpredictable Travel Times
• 10 Alternative Concepts
• VDOT established a staff working group including
Fairfax and Prince William Counties to assist in
evaluating concepts that might proceed to Tier 2
Department of Transportation
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5. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Tier 1 EIS Alternative Concepts
1. General Purpose Lanes
2. Managed Lanes
3. Metrorail Extension
4. Light Rail Transit
5. Bus Rapid Transit
6. VRE Extension (outside of Corridor)
7. Spot Improvements
8. Intermodal Connectivity
9. Safety Improvements
10. Transportation Communication and Technology
Department of Transportation
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6. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Tier 1 Record of Decision
• No specific concept, on its own, will satisfy
the need on I-66
• All Tier 1 concepts may advance to Tier 2
• Tolling as a funding source will be studied
further
Department of Transportation
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7. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Public Information Meetings
• Thursday, January 30, 2014 - Oakton HS
• Wednesday, February 5, 2014 - Wyndham
Garden Hotel, Manassas (snow date)
• Details on Tier 1 Record of Decision
• Information about responses
to the Request for Information
• Status report on current projects
in the corridor
• General information on next steps for Tier 2
Department of Transportation
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8. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Request for Information (RFI)
• The Office of Transportation Public-Private
Partnerships (OTP3) issued a Request for
Information (RFI) in June 2013.
• The RFI solicited input from the private sector on
how to best evaluate potential options for the
development, financing, procurement and
delivery of improvement to the I-66 Corridor
between I-495 and Route 15.
• The responses are posted on the OTP3 website
Department of Transportation
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9. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Request for Information (RFI) - cont.
• 19 Firms, 9 Citizens responded
• Common Concerns:
– Need for clarification on schedule and more detail
– Need for strong political support and stakeholder
involvement
• Advantages of public-private partnerships:
– Private funding is used, making public funding
available for other projects
– Innovative and holistic project design
Department of Transportation
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10. County of Fairfax, Virginia
• Concerns:
– Milestone schedule needed
– Tier 2 needs to be completed prior initiation of
improvement project
– Status of right-of-way acquisition
• Traffic Forecasts for the managed lanes
• Determine available Federal Funding, and
initiate the application process
• Stakeholder Coordination and Outreach
Department of Transportation
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RFI Procurement Process

11. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Challenges
• Right-of-way for Metrorail
extension
• Location of future rail
stations
• Maintenance of traffic
• Existing structures
• Coordination with on
going projects
Possible Solutions
• Managed lanes
• Elevated (bifurcated)
highway
• Phased implementation
• Bus Rapid Transit in the
managed lanes
Department of Transportation
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RFI Challenges and Solutions

12. County of Fairfax, Virginia
RFI Financial Structure
• Need diversity of funding sources
• Public-private risk sharing
– Most respondents prefer payment structures
other than concession (risk) based
contracts, although willing to accept if
necessary
• Respondents generally see concession
term for the project as 30 - 40 years, with
Toll concessions from 50 to 75 years
Department of Transportation
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13. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Relevant Projects
• Complete/Under Construction
– I-495 Express Lanes
• December 2012
– Silver Line Rail Service
• Spring 2014
– I-66 Active Traffic Management System (ATMS) – VA/DC line to
Gainesville
• Construction began August 2013, completion Summer 2015
– Route 29 Interchange Reconstruction, Gainesville
• Delivery Summer 2015
– I-66 spot improvements
• Spot 2: Washington Blvd. to Dulles Access Rd.
– Under construction, Completion 2015
Department of Transportation
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14. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Relevant Projects - cont.
• Coming Soon
– I-66 spot improvements
• Spot 3: Route 29 to Glebe Road in Arlington County
– In design; Construction Start Fall 2014
– I-66 Widening – Route 15 to Route 29
• Construction 2014 - 2016
– I-66 at Route 15 Interchange Reconstruction
• Construction 2014 - 2017
• Under Study
– Vienna Metro Access Ramp
• Request for Qualifications, Summer 2014
– Route 28/I-66 Interchange
• Design Study underway
Department of Transportation
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15. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Next Steps
• Continue stakeholder outreach
• Identify Tier II Project(s)
• Include project(s) in CLRP for Study
• Initiate Tier II NEPA Study/Studies
Department of Transportation
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