Transurban : Celebrating 5 years of a better Beltway

The 495 Express Lanes project brought $2 billion of transportation improvements to the greater Washington D.C. region, including the replacement of $260 million in aging infrastructure on the I-495 Capital Beltway.

During construction, the project benefitted the region as a whole, supporting more than 16,000 jobs and generating more than $3.5 billion in economic activity.

Since opening, the 495 Express Lanes have provided faster, more predictable travel to more than 3.5 million customers - saving drivers more than 5 million hours.

As a truly multi-modal network, carpool and bus trips on the I-495 have significantly increased since opening, providing faster, toll-free travel for all types of commuters.

'Today we celebrate five years of helping our customers on the Beltway make it to a meeting on time, get home for dinner with their family and travel to work without the anxiety that comes with hitting an unexpected traffic jam,' said Jennifer Aument, Group General Manager of Transurban North America.

'Whether they pay tolls, ride in a bus or carpool, we value all our customers and look forward to working with our partners at VDOT to continually find new ways to provide them with a better Beltway in the years to come.'

To commemorate the milestone, Transurban launched a travel giveaway contest for customers and a special $10,000 community grant opportunity.

Transurban also celebrated the fifth anniversary with the help of Santa Claus and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, who took a ceremonial trip on the 495 Express Lanes on the anniversary. Five years ago, Santa took one of the first rides on the 495 Express Lanes when they opened to the public.

For more information on the 495 Express Lanes anniversary, please view the five year anniversary video and infographic.