Avoid I-95 South During Upcoming Maintenance

Please note: Weather permitting, the new date for the second weekend of work is May 12-15. No roadwork will be performed on Neabsco Bridge May 5-8.

DALE CITY – Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95 in Dale City for two weekends, April 29-May 1 and May 12-15, as lanes will be closed for bridge deck repair. Congestion and delays are expected to be extensive.

• Southbound I-95 will be reduced from three to two lanes over Neabsco Creek (mile marker 156) from 9 p.m. Saturday, April 29 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 1, and again from 10 p.m. Friday, May 12 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 15.
• Ramps from eastbound and westbound Dale Boulevard to southbound I-95 will also be closed to all except emergency vehicles.
• The southbound car-only safety rest area will also be closed.

The bridge, originally built in 1963, has been regularly inspected and maintained, and remains safe, but is in urgent need of large-scale repairs to sections of the deck. The needed work will include saw-cutting and jackhammering out three bridge sections, the largest being 10 feet by 33 feet, replacing the reinforcing rebar, and pouring new concrete. Work will affect the bridge deck, joint, and abutment.

Due to the time needed to cut the large sections and set the concrete, completing this work over two weekends is necessary (as opposed to multiple overnight closures). VDOT also wants to ensure that the repairs are completed after spring breaks, but before heavy summer travel begins.

During the repairs, the 95 Express Lanes will remain open with toll pricing in effect and free travel for HOV-3 vehicles with E-ZPass Flex set to HOV mode. The lanes will be southbound beginning at 1 p.m. Friday to help alleviate backups, and will be monitored to change direction if needed. Drivers planning to head northbound on these weekends are asked to be aware of this, and to plan trips accordingly for heavier-than-usual return traffic, particularly on the two Sundays.

Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95, and to expect significant delays on all of the usual alternate routes.

Some alternate routes can be found at http://bit.ly/neabscobridge and are listed below.

Local drivers in Prince William County:

• East side: Route 1 southbound to Route 234 or Joplin Road northbound to I-95
• West side: Minnieville Road westbound to Spriggs Road southbound to Route 234 southbound to I-95

Regional drivers:

• East side: I-495 to Route 5 (Branch Avenue) southbound to Route 301 southbound to Route 206/218 westbound to I-95 southbound
• West side: I-495 to I-66 westbound to Route 29/15 to Route 17 southbound to I-95 southbound

All work is weather permitting.                       

Please note: Weather permitting, the new date for the second weekend of work is May 12-15. No roadwork will be performed on Neabsco Bridge May 5-8.

DALE CITY – Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95 in Dale City for two weekends, April 29-May 1 and May 12-15, as lanes will be closed for bridge deck repair. Congestion and delays are expected to be extensive.

• Southbound I-95 will be reduced from three to two lanes over Neabsco Creek (mile marker 156) from 9 p.m. Saturday, April 29 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 1, and again from 10 p.m. Friday, May 12 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 15.
• Ramps from eastbound and westbound Dale Boulevard to southbound I-95 will also be closed to all except emergency vehicles.
• The southbound car-only safety rest area will also be closed.

The bridge, originally built in 1963, has been regularly inspected and maintained, and remains safe, but is in urgent need of large-scale repairs to sections of the deck. The needed work will include saw-cutting and jackhammering out three bridge sections, the largest being 10 feet by 33 feet, replacing the reinforcing rebar, and pouring new concrete. Work will affect the bridge deck, joint, and abutment.

Due to the time needed to cut the large sections and set the concrete, completing this work over two weekends is necessary (as opposed to multiple overnight closures). VDOT also wants to ensure that the repairs are completed after spring breaks, but before heavy summer travel begins.

During the repairs, the 95 Express Lanes will remain open with toll pricing in effect and free travel for HOV-3 vehicles with E-ZPass Flex set to HOV mode. The lanes will be southbound beginning at 1 p.m. Friday to help alleviate backups, and will be monitored to change direction if needed. Drivers planning to head northbound on these weekends are asked to be aware of this, and to plan trips accordingly for heavier-than-usual return traffic, particularly on the two Sundays.

Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95, and to expect significant delays on all of the usual alternate routes.

Some alternate routes can be found at http://bit.ly/neabscobridge and are listed below.

Local drivers in Prince William County:

• East side: Route 1 southbound to Route 234 or Joplin Road northbound to I-95
• West side: Minnieville Road westbound to Spriggs Road southbound to Route 234 southbound to I-95

Regional drivers:

• East side: I-495 to Route 5 (Branch Avenue) southbound to Route 301 southbound to Route 206/218 westbound to I-95 southbound
• West side: I-495 to I-66 westbound to Route 29/15 to Route 17 southbound to I-95 southbound

All work is weather permitting.                       

511 Traffic Info Wherever You Go

The Virginia 511 system is your key to knowing what is on the road before you go. There are three free tools to give you the latest traffic information from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT): 

•  511 telephone system 
•  511 Virginia website 
•  511 Virginia smartphone app

511 Telephone

The 511 telephone service is an interactive, voice-activated traffic information system you can access by calling 511 from your land line or cell phone. 

To be safe, do not use a hand-held cell phone while driving. Instead, use a hands-free accessory so you can keep both hands on the wheel. 

Or better yet, call when you are stopped at one of VDOT’s safety rest areas.

511 Website

The site, at 511Virginia.org, is powered by a map, with 511 information placed in layers on top of it. 

Simply click on the icons for more information.

You may also register for a username and password to personalize the site. Note: If you had previously registered on the older version of 511Virgnia.org, you must recreate your account.

511 Smartphone Application

VDOT has introduced a 511 smartphone application to meet the growing trend of information on mobile devices.

The application works on phones and tablets that operate on the iPhone and Android platforms, the two most popular smartphone types.

These applications will tell you what incidents and construction will be on your predetermined route. You can also see traffic cameras on the apps.

Do not use these apps while you are driving. Distracted driving while using cell phones is a major cause of crashes.

• Get the iPhone app here
• Get the Android app here
• About 511
• 511 FAQs

Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse

A crash modification factor (CMF) is used to compute the expected number of crashes after implementing a countermeasure on a road or intersection. The Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse provides a searchable online database of CMFs along with guidance and resources on using CMFs in road safety practice. It also provides guidance to researchers on best practices for developing high quality CMFs.

Visit the Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse.

Avoid I-95 South During Upcoming Maintenance

Avoid I-95 South During Upcoming Maintenance
Two weekends of bridge deck repair; Drivers urged to use alternate routes

DALE CITY – Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95 in Dale City for two weekends, April 29-May 1 and May 5-8, as lanes will be closed for bridge deck repair. Congestion and delays are expected to be extensive.

• Southbound I-95 will be reduced from three to two lanes over Neabsco Creek (mile marker 156) from 9 p.m. Saturday, April 29 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 1, and again from 10 p.m. Friday, May 5 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 8.
• Ramps from eastbound and westbound Dale Boulevard to southbound I-95 will also be closed to all except emergency vehicles.
• The southbound car-only safety rest area will also be closed.

The bridge, originally built in 1963, has been regularly inspected and maintained, and remains safe, but is in urgent need of large-scale repairs to sections of the deck. The needed work will include saw-cutting and jackhammering out three bridge sections, the largest being 10 feet by 33 feet, replacing the reinforcing rebar, and pouring new concrete. Work will affect the bridge deck, joint, and abutment.

Due to the time needed to cut the large sections and set the concrete, completing this work over two weekends is necessary (as opposed to multiple overnight closures). VDOT also wants to ensure that the repairs are completed after spring breaks, but before heavy summer travel begins.

During the repairs, the 95 Express Lanes will remain open with toll pricing in effect and free travel for HOV-3 vehicles with E-ZPass Flex set to HOV mode. The lanes will be southbound beginning at 1 p.m. Friday to help alleviate backups, and will be monitored to change direction if needed. Drivers planning to head northbound on these weekends are asked to be aware of this, and to plan trips accordingly for heavier-than-usual return traffic, particularly on the two Sundays.

Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95, and to expect significant delays on all of the usual alternate routes.

Some alternate routes can be found at http://bit.ly/neabscobridge and are listed below.

Local drivers in Prince William County:

• East side: Route 1 southbound to Route 234 or Joplin Road northbound to I-95
• West side: Minnieville Road westbound to Spriggs Road southbound to Route 234 southbound to I-95

Regional drivers:

• East side: I-495 to Route 5 (Branch Avenue) southbound to Route 301 southbound to Route 206/218 westbound to I-95 southbound
• West side: I-495 to I-66 westbound to Route 29/15 to Route 17 southbound to I-95 southbound

All work is weather permitting.                       

Drive at 45! This stretch of Route 66 plays “America the Beautiful”

We’ve all had a musical moment in a car or truck. Admit it, when a favorite song unexpectedly comes on the radio, you’re not going to hesitate when it comes to belting out that power ballad and absolutely crushing the chorus.

The result might end up sounding like a howling Bassett Hound but, come on, who cares about being on-key when your vehicle is a rolling soundstage?

In this case and on this stretch of road, however, it’s your car that’s going to do the singing.

Take exit 175 off of Route 14, located about an hour south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and you’ll find yourself on Route 333–better known as old Route 66.

Read the rest of the story and see the video here.

Analyze Crash Trends With VDOT’s Data Visualization Tool

The Virginia Department of Transportation has shifted gears in its approach to open data.

Since 2013, the agency has used data visualization software Tableau to present its data on accidents and crashes in a more intuitive and useful way.

This can help citizens pull the lever of change if the numbers prove an intersection or road is dangerous.

“You can say I want to see I-95 in Fairfax County and only see fatalities,” said Keith Donley, the enterprise data manager at VDOT.

This can fuel “conversations about where the most dangerous roads are.”

Read the rest of the story here.

Try the visualization tool here.

Prescription For Savings

It's a virtuous cycle that may come as no surprise: build bike lanes, and watch health care costs drop. Recent research from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University shows just what a bargain bike lanes can be.

Jing Gu, Babak Mohit and Peter Alexander Muennig wanted to learn whether investing in bike lanes produced better (or worse) outcomes than investing in other health interventions, such as expanding health care services or injury prevention programs.

First, the researchers quantified "If you build it, they will come." The team calculated that the estimated 45.5 miles of new bicycle lanes (protected and otherwise) that New York City built in 2015, at a cost of $8.1 million, increased the probability the people would ride bikes by 9.2 percent. They estimate that the 9.2 percent increase in turn produced future health savings as a result of fewer injuries, better individual health due to increased physical activity, and improved air quality—which improved health for cyclists and non-cyclists alike.

Read the rest of the story here.