The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) hosted a "citizen information meeting" Monday night ahead of their decision regarding the HOV ramp that connects Seminary Road and I-395 toward the south.
The meeting, at the T.C. Williams High School Minnie Howard Campus, focused on whether VDOT should change the south-facing Seminary Road ramp from HOV (carpool) only to High Occupancy Toll (HOT).
VDOT and TransUrban, which operates the Beltway Express Lanes, switched the I-395 HOV lanes to HOT lanes in November. The Seminary Road south-facing ramp is the only ramp between Edsall Road and Arlington that was not converted from HOV to HOT.
City officials are concerned that changing the ramp from HOV to HOT will put more cut-through traffic onto Seminary Road from the highway in the mornings, particularly.
This is because the change would allow HOT lane users to exit from I-395 northbound to Seminary Road in the morning without having at least 3 people in the car. In the afternoons, southbound drivers would be able to get onto the I-395 HOT lanes from Seminary Road.
"The ramp would continue to provide access to the 395 Express Lanes, but would be available to vehicles with fewer than three occupants who pay a toll, and for free to vehicles with three or more occupants," according to VDOT.
The image below from VDOT’s Monday evening presentation shows the current configuration.
VDOT
The goals of changing the ramp from HOV to HOT are to encourage more usage of the existing lanes, reduce congestion in the “main line” (non-HOT) lanes and improve safety and reliability, according to VDOT.
A presentation from VDOT Monday night showed that there would be “no material change” to traffic on Seminary Road westbound in the morning rush hours from cars exiting the converted HOT lanes. Similarly, the PM rush analysis showed “no material change” in Seminary Road eastbound traffic from highway-exiting drivers.
VDOT
VDOT
Residents who were unable to attend the meeting may submit written comments by Dec. 31 to Abi Lerner, Virginia Department of Transportation, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030, or email 395expresslanes@VDOT.virginia.gov. Reference “I-395/Seminary Road HOV Ramp” in the subject line.
This spring, the City of Alexandria will have an opportunity to officially weigh in on the traffic analysis before an official decision is made. If VDOT decides to convert the ramp from HOV to HOT, that would happen in mid-2020.
After VDOT the TransUrban make that decision, City of Alexandria officials may be able to move forward with planning to repave and improve Seminary Road between Jordan and Beauregard streets, where there have been numerous accidents and safety improvements and repaving are sorely needed.
