395 Express Lanes: Slugs/Drivers are free to DC

The 395 Express Lanes will open this November and the project team has announced a perk to keep slugging strong on I-395.

When the 395 Express Lanes open, drivers who carpool up to Eads Street and exit the Lanes to drop off sluggers will be able to get back on the Lanes for free – but other drivers who first get on the Lanes here will pay a toll. (Of course, if you carpool the entire trip into DC, it’s free as well.)

That’s right, drivers who take sluggers to Eads Street get to go free for the rest of the trip.

How will it work?
1.     Carpool up the northbound 395 Express Lanes with your Flex in HOV mode, just like normal.
2.     Get off at Eads Street to drop off slugs at the Pentagon or Pentagon City. (Or keep carpooling into DC.)
3.     Switch your Flex to “HOV off” -- since you don’t have 3 people in the car anymore -- before you get back on the northbound Lanes from Eads Street. That way you don’t risk getting pulled over by Virginia State Police troopers who are looking for real cheaters.
4.     Even though your Flex will be set to “HOV off,” the operators will know you carpooled to Eads Street. You won’t be charged to finish your trip to the city. Pretty great, right?

                     

But what if I forget to flip the switch back?
A sign on the ramp to get back on the Lanes will remind you to flip the switch. And, the operator of Lanes is giving Virginia State Police tools to help to validate the earlier part of your trip, just in case you forget to switch and get pulled over.

It’s that easy – a flip of the switch and you go free to DC.

If you don’t have an E-ZPass Flex yet, visit EZPassVA.com.

Happy slugging.


Edited by admin2 - 11 Dec 2021 at 7:31am

Subject: Transportation Advisory: Service commencement of the 395 Express
Lanes is now scheduled for Sunday, November 17, 2019

Transportation Advisory: Service commencement of the 395 Express Lanes is
now scheduled for Sunday, November 17, 2019

The 395 Express Lanes will open on Sunday, November 17, 2019 around 5:00pm.
The new 395 Express Lanes will convert the current two reversible HOV-3+
lanes to three Express Lanes between Edsall Road and DC Line with the
exception of the Seminary Road South Ramp. The following changes are
expected when the 395 Express Lanes open:

**Getting on and off the Lanes at the Eads Street Interchange

- In the AM, drivers coming from northbound 395 Express Lanes will follow
the new traffic pattern and utilize the LEFT exit ramp to access the
Pentagon. The off-ramp on the right side will direct traffic to Pentagon
City/Crystal City.
- In the PM, there is no change in traffic pattern accessing 395 Express
Lanes from the Pentagon. Drivers coming from Army Navy Drive can now access
southbound 395 Express Lanes via Eads Street.

**Permanent traffic signals will be in place on Eads Street between North
Rotary Road and Army Navy Drive.

**Seminary Road South Ramp will remain HOV-3+ after service commencement due
to an agreement between VDOT and the City of Alexandria. HOV users will
need an E-ZPass Flex. Virginia State Police (VSP) will continue to enforce
the Seminary Road South Ramp as a HOV facility.

There is no change to parking lot access in Pentagon South Parking. Normal
slug operations will continue. In the AM, after drop-off at the Pentagon,
slug drivers re-entering the 395 Express Lanes via the Eads Street
Interchange will need to switch their E-ZPass from Flex to toll-mode. The
driver will not be charged if re-entering during their trip.

In preparation for the 395 Express Lanes Service Commencement, the new
traffic signals will go into a "flashing red" mode the evening of Thursday,
November 14 through Sunday, November 17. Please follow traffic control
directions and signage during this preparatory period before the opening of
the 395 Express Lanes.

The attached handouts provide additional details. If you have any
questions, please visit www.expresslanes.com/395.

395 Express Lanes Slugging Handout.







Edited by admin2 - 23 Nov 2019 at 6:24am

Is anyone going to union station from Bob or rolling valley? Thanks