I-66 Outside the Beltway
(Updated July 2010)
Alliance Position:
Rehabilitate exisiting road foundation and upgrade to new multi-modal facility with additional conventional lanes and rail extension right-of-way.
The Corridor:
Interstate 66 stretches 76-miles from the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge in the District of Columbia to I-81 near Winchester. Virginia segments west of the Beltway were completed between 1958 and 1964.
The Problem: A Crisis in the Making
Most of the pavement is 40 years old. It’s not simply a matter of resurfacing. The foundation is crumbling. The Virginia Department of Transportation is currently evaluating short-term fixes to extend the life of the roadway 8-10 years. Reconstruction will require shutdown of lanes for long periods of time and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
The only practical way to keep at least three lanes open during reconstruction is to construct new lanes, ultimately expanding the total number of lanes available. This will require acquisition of additional right of way and trigger the need for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.
Portions of this corridor carry in excess of 120,000 trips per day which is more than the Dulles Corridor. The EIS has been in limbo for several years. The pavement continues to deteriorate. The reconstruction of I-66 must be a top priority of the new administration.
To visit the project website, click here.
I-66 Studies: EIS and NEPA
On June 14, 2010, the Virginia Department of Transportation transferred the managment of the I-66 Tier I Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) study from VDOT's Northern Virginia District office to VDOT's Central Office in Richmond. The study is expected to cost $6 million.
The EIS study will identify transportation issues on I-66, anticipated future conditions, and identify the environmental impacts of potential fixes along the corridor. This study will include public involvement before a decision on suggested improvements to the corridor is made.
The complete I-66 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Study, including the EIS, is expected to take about 32 months at a cost of $20.3 million.
1999 Major Investment Study
For more on the 1995-1999 major investment study of the I-66 corridor between the Capital Beltway and Rt. 15 in Haymarket, click here.
Current Status:
The Virginia Department of Transportation recently completed a pavement rehabilitation project along 1,000 feet of westbound I-66 in all four lanes and on a portion of the ramp to Route 50 in Fairfax County.
The project cost $4.97 million.