WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Wittman, along with Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine, attended and delivered remarks at Transurban’s groundbreaking on the I-95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension Project (FredEx).
“The First District of Virginia is home to some of the most unique transportation challenges in the country, including the I-95 corridor in Northern Virginia, which has been identified as the worst traffic hot spot in the nation,” Wittman said. “As a commuter myself who travels along I-95 almost every day, I know firsthand the issues with congestion in the area. Utilizing the Express Lanes’ public-private-partnership model will improve the quality of life for First District residents, provide new opportunities for small businesses to grow and expand, and help attract new businesses to the area.”
Traffic data company, INRIX, recently rated the Fred Ex portion of I-95 the “worst traffic hot spot” in the United States and estimates that delays in the area will cost drivers approximately $2.3 billion over the next 10 years if conditions do not improve. The new Express Lanes will provide 66% more capacity during peak periods and will move 30% more people and 23% more vehicles along the current area I-95 as compared to today’s conditions. Extending the Express Lanes 10 miles south will provide much needed relief from the existing bottlenecks along the I-95 corridor, improving reliability for commuters and freight, enhancing road safety, and setting up the regional economy for future growth.
Congressman Wittman continues to be a leader on solving transportation issues, like congestion on I-95, in the First District and Virginia. This Congress, he has testified in front of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Appropriations Committee advocating on behalf of the transportation priorities of Virginia, as well as sent a letter to House leadership stressing the need for an innovative,sustainable approach to solving our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. Congressman Wittman has also written letters to the administration emphasizing rural transportation projects such as the Norris Bridge - a local community centerpiece in Virginia – and held a roundtable with local stakeholders to find innovative solutions to fix this bridge. Congressman Wittman has also worked with the Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers to fix a local Aids to Navigation issue, as well as with localities to address important shallow draft navigation projects in the First District.
