A new, 10-mile extension of the 95 Express Lanes to Fredericksburg opens to mainline traffic late on Aug. 17, according to the Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin administration.

“Our robust economy is getting another boost today as the 95 Express Lanes provide faster, more reliable transportation along one of the Commonwealth’s busiest stretches of highway,” stated Gov. Youngkin in a news release. “Through the continued power of public-private partnerships, investment in local and regional communities and booming job creation, we are solidifying Virginia’s status as a great place to do business.”

The $670 million project, a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Transurban, broke ground in 2019 with construction led by a joint venture of Branch Flatiron.

The extension is expected to deliver economic development benefits to the Fredericksburg and Stafford communities by creating more than 9,100 jobs, generating $1.1 billion in economic activity and investing over $75 million in procurement from Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Small, Women-owned and Minority-owned (SWaM) designated businesses, the announcement stated.

With an added 10 miles of high-occupancy toll lanes, the 95 and 395 Express Lanes are the longest reversible roads in the United States, spanning from the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., to the Rappahannock River in the Fredericksburg area.

Once the extension is open to customers, drivers can experience 10 more miles of Express Lanes with access to the length of the project, with additional access at Route 17, Courthouse Road and Russell Road opening to traffic in late 2023. The extension will see a 66% increase in capacity during rush hour, saving travelers as much as 35 minutes on a trip from Washington, D.C., to Fredericksburg and easing congestion in one of the worst regions for traffic nationwide.