I-66 Concessionaire Projects
Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project Agreement
In 2017, as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project Comprehensive Agreement, I-66 Express Mobility Partners committed to pay a concession fee of more than $500 million to be utilized for additional local transportation improvements in the I-66 Outside the Beltway corridor.
What is a Concessionaire Agreement?
A contract between a private company and public entity that gives the company operational rights, including collecting fees or tolls, in exchange for building a facility such as a toll road. In this agreement, I-66 Express Mobility Partners (EMP) agreed to rebuild three general-purpose lanes and build two new dynamically tolled express lanes in each direction on I-66 and charge tolls on the toll lanes for a 50-year period. The project spans a 22.5 mile segment of I-66 from I-495 in Fairfax County to Gainesville in Prince William County. In addition, EMP agreed to pay $500 million+ to the Commonwealth of Virginia to make multimodal transportation improvements that supports travel in the corridor.
How is NVTA involved?
NVTA identified candidate transportation projects eligible for receipt of concessionaire agreement funding. Once NVTA selected the projects that would best benefit the region, we recommended the projects to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) for approval.
How did NVTA select candidate transportation projects?
On June 8, 2017 NVTA asked local Northern Virginia jurisdictions and agencies to submit projects for concession fee funding consideration.
NVTA outlined several project requirements:
- Being reasonably related to or benefit the users of the I-66 Express Lanes.
- Be selected by the CTB after considering regional and local priorities.
- Be federally eligible.
NVTA member jurisdictions and agencies submitted 26 projects totaling $1.2 billion from seven jurisdictions and agencies. On July 7, 2017, the NVTA Planning and Programming Committee unanimously recommended 14 projects totaling an estimated $473.3 million, which NVTA approved at its July 13 meeting.
At its Dec. 5, 2017, meeting, the CTB added a 15th concession fee project – a series of improvements to Route 29 in Fairfax County between Shirley Gate Road and Pickwick Road – to NVTA’s proposed list. The CTB then recommended the 15 projects be included in the state’s Six Year Improvement Program. On Jan. 10, 2018, the CTB authorized funding for the proposed projects and approved adding them to the Six Year Improvement Program. In addition, subsequent to a recommendation by NVTA on May 14, 2020, the CTB, on June 17, 2020, approved extending the project limits of the Route 234 and Balls Ford Road Interchange Project by approximately 0.57 miles to the west and widen Devlin Road from two to four lanes and terminate at University Boulevard.
Several concession fee projects are within the project limits of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project and are being completed as additions to the larger project. Other projects are being administered by local agencies.
Over the years, five additional projects were funded by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) using available concessionaire funding, bringing the concessionaire project total to 20 funded projects.
Approved Projects
Arlington County
Fairfax County
Route 50/Waples Mill Road Intersection Improvements ($3 Million): Reduce congestion by adding capacity for Route 50 through the intersection.
Monument Drive Pedestrian Improvements ($4 Million): Improve pedestrian access to the future transit center and park and ride lot by adding a sidewalk on the west side of the existing Monument Drive bridge.
Commuter Parking Structure Near Fairfax Government Center ($41 Million): Support carpooling and transit use by building a parking garage near the Monument Drive exit.
Route 29 Northbound Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements Project ($4 Million): Improve pedestrian mobility and Metro access by completing missing gaps in the bicycle and pedestrian network along Lee Highway.
Poplar Tree Road Bridge Improvements ($3 Million): Prepare for future travel needs by building the new bridge over Route 28 to accommodate four lanes plus bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
I-66 Median Widening for Future Mass Transit ($48 Million): Support future mass transit expansion to Centreville by widening the I-66 median and bridge over Route 29 to accommodate future construction.
Route 29 Improvements Between Shirley Gate Road and Pickwick Road (Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3) ($28 Million): Improve travel by expanding Route 29 to six lanes with bicycle and pedestrian facilities from Centreville to the City of Fairfax.
Prince William County
Balls Ford Road Widening: Groveton Road to Route 234 Business ($43 Million): Improve access to new park and ride facility and reduce congestion by widening the road to four lanes and adding shared-use path.
Devlin Road Widening ($34 Million): Improve access to Route 234, I-66, and the Balls Ford Road Park-and-Ride Lot by widening Devlin Road to four lanes and adding sidewalk and shared-use path from University Boulevard to connect to Balls Ford Road.