Coming Soon: 65-mph Speed Limit on Beltway Express Lanes

You can step on it while traveling on the Interstate 495 Express Lanes — but not until around June 24.

That day, the speed limit on the Beltway Express Lanes will increase from 55 mph to 65 mph, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has announced.

The main lanes on the Beltway will still have the current speed limit of 55 mph.

“The 495 Express Lanes are helping to alleviate traffic congestion along one of the most congested roadways in the Commonwealth,” McDonnell said in a statement. “The new speed limit increase will help Northern Virginia Beltway drivers save even more time on their commute.”

Traffic in the DC metro area is rated worst in the country, according to the Texas Transportation Institute.

The Express Lanes opened in November 2012 with a dynamic tolling system based on demand, time of day and other factors. Commuters can pay via EZ-Pass to use the express lanes to get out of the congestion of the mainline Beltway lanes. Carpoolers (three or more people) may use the lanes free with an EZ-Pass Flex.

In the first quarter of 2013, the Virginia Department of Transportation and Transurban, which run the lanes in a public-private partnership, reported nearly $2.5 million in revenue and more than 26,000 average daily trips on weekdays.

Still, more than half of drivers on the Beltway do not have an EZ-Pass and thus cannot use the Express Lanes. EZ-Pass adoption is rising.

Do you think raising the speed limit on the Express Lanes is a good idea? Or do you think it could lead to more crashes? Tell us in the comments.