Environmental Assessment for I-395 HOV/Transit Ramp to Seminary Road Approved
ALEXANDRIA – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) cleared the final environmental hurdle for building a reversible transit and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) ramp on I-395 at Seminary Road in Alexandria near the Mark Center.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a Finding of No Significant Impact, known as a FONSI, on the proposed project which means that an environmental impact statement is not required.
“We are now positioned to begin construction next spring,” said Governor McDonnell. “The new ramp will give carpools and buses direct access to the Mark Center, and ease delays in that area of I-395.”
VDOT expects to receive design approval from the FHWA this month and then advertise for a design-build contractor. The $80 million ramp would open to traffic in summer 2015.
Other projects to mitigate the Mark Center’s impacts to traffic include intersection improvements along Seminary Road and Beauregard Street, and widening the southbound on-ramp to I-395 at Seminary Road. Those projects were funded by the Department of Defense and will begin this summer.
VDOT is also working on design plans to build an auxiliary lane on northbound I-395 linking the on-ramp at Duke Street with the Seminary Road off-ramp. The mile-long lane could go to construction next spring if funding is approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board this month.
The Environmental Assessment can be viewed at www.vamegaprojects.com under Mark Center.
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