First stand-alone direct access ramp to be developed into Transurban’s Express Lanes network

The Opitz Boulevard Ramp Project facilitates travel to and from southern and central Prince William County, Virginia, via the 95 Express Lanes—relieving congestion locally and on the express lanes. Built near Potomac Mills Mall and the Sentara Medical Center in Woodbridge, Virginia, the project was designed to enhance and revitalize areas associated with the corridor and help meet accessibility and community goals for the region.

The 95 Express Lanes are reversible, allowing vehicles to travel in either direction depending on the day and time. Overhead electronic signals and physical gates indicate the current direction of travel, which changes throughout the day to align with morning and evening rush hour traffic. Thanks to the Opitz Boulevard Ramp Project, an additional connection and new travel options have been created within this critical corridor. Since the opening of the project last year, motorists in Prince William have been able to exit the northbound 95 Express Lanes via a left-hand ramp to reach Opitz Boulevard directly. When the lanes operate southbound, travelers can access them from both the east and west sides of Opitz Boulevard, with a new signal at the center of the bridge managing traffic flow.

“At Transurban, we are always looking for ways to best serve our customers and communities. That is why I am proud the 95 Express Lanes Opitz Boulevard Ramp Project now officially reflects a forward-thinking approach to transportation infrastructure,” said Beau Memory, President, Transurban North America. “On the Express Lanes, a faster, more reliable trip is also a sustainable one—and with ISI’s Envision Silver Award recognition, we are setting the example for the future of our industry.”

“Creating new access to the 95 Express Lanes at Opitz Boulevard has expanded travel options in Prince William County and supports multimodal, reliable trips for all express lanes users,” said VDOT Megaprojects Director Michelle Shropshire. “This project was made possible through the Commonwealth’s public-private partnership model, which enabled VDOT and Transurban to enhance its 95 Express Lanes facility and help provide additional congestion relief to the I-95 corridor.”

“Congratulations to Transurban, the Virginia Department of Transportation, and the entire project team on the success of the Opitz Boulevard Ramp Project,” said Kailey Eldredge, ISI’s Verification Director. “This is Transurban’s second Envision award for a 95 Express Lanes project this year — a strong testament to their commitment to using Envision to evaluate sustainability performance and mitigate or avoid unwanted economic, environment and social impacts.

Verified Sustainability Achievements

Planning for Sustainability Communities – The primary driver of the project is to improve community access to the I-95 Express Lanes at Opitz Boulevard, enabling residents to reach commercial areas, including a major medical center, more conveniently. Prior to the project, motorists traveling north on I-95 Express Lanes could not exit within Prince William County and those traveling south could not exit near the commercial district, which prevented convenient access to the medical center. In addition, there were no accommodations for pedestrians traveling crossing I-95 along Opitz Boulevard. The project improves overall connectivity between the areas adjacent to Opitz Boulevard and across the county through better access to the express lanes.

Enhancing Mobility – Improved mobility adds to the community’s appeal by providing better access to the area’s businesses and entertainment venues, as well as improved connections for pedestrians and bicyclists. For example, no sidewalk existed previously on Opitz Boulevard. This project adds a five-foot barrier separated sidewalk on the north side of the bridge and five-foot concrete sidewalk along the north side of Opitz Boulevard that ties to the existing pedestrian network.

Encouraging Sustainability Transportation – The I-95 Express Lanes system adjusts pricing in real-time — displaying the current cost to destinations on overhead signage. However, the project makes the express lanes free to those that rideshare and offers easy access for commuter buses, a feature that encourages shared and mass transportation. The Opitz Boulevard Ramp Project supports established programs that promote ridesharing and carpooling, such as Virginia Park and Ride and Commuter Connections, and contributes to the larger active, shared, and mass transportation strategy for Prince William County.

Planning for Long-Term Monitoring and Maintenance – An asset life cycle management plan was developed for the I-95 corridor, covering civil, pavement, machinery, equipment, electrical and communication components. This plan will continue to be re-evaluated and updated based on monitored data over the life of the project. Monitoring and maintenance work in the corridor is planned up to 2028, with specific cycles for each component of the asset, taking in considering the expected life of each item.

Reducing Construction Waste – The waste generated by the project is primarily concrete and asphalt, materials that are highly sought after by recycling facilities. The project team set out to divert as much waste as possible to recycling facilities to offset the project’s costs, and succeeded in diverting approximately 95% of materials (by weight) from the landfill.

Preserving Sites of High Ecological Value – A site of high ecological value was proactively identified and protected. During an environmental visit, a potential habitat was identified for the small whorled pogonia, a federally threatened species. As a result, a 100-foot buffer was established around the site. An outfall that would have encroached upon the buffer was relocated and redesigned to avoid the site and its buffer.