Crews are set to implement the second phase of traffic shifts on southbound I-495, also known as the Beltway Outer Loop, in the Tysons-McLean area this Friday night, July 18. This change is part of the I-495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project. The shift will move lanes from Georgetown Pike to midway between Old Dominion Drive and Lewinsville Road onto newly constructed outer lanes. Work begins Friday night with plans to reopen all southbound lanes by 10 a.m. Saturday morning, July 19.
This shift allows crews access to the center portion of the Beltway for constructing new express lanes. “Traffic on all four general-purpose lanes of southbound I-495 from just south of Georgetown Pike to midway between Old Dominion Drive and Lewinsville Road…will be shifted onto new lanes built on the outer side of the Beltway,” officials stated.
The implementation involves lane closures starting at 8 p.m. Friday, with a single mobile lane closure followed by additional closures until three total lanes are closed by 10 p.m. Only one lane will remain open during this period, except for intermittent stoppages between midnight and 5 a.m., with police assistance provided.
Additional ramp closures include those from northbound GWMP to southbound I-495, Georgetown Pike to southbound I-495, and southbound I-495 to Georgetown Pike (Exit 44). Detours will guide motorists through alternative routes during these closures.
If weather or other factors cause delays, backup dates are set for Saturday and Sunday nights. Upon completion of this traffic shift, construction will focus on building new ramps and demolishing old infrastructure in preparation for opening new express lanes later this year.
Motorists should drive cautiously through narrowed lanes and expect changes in traffic patterns during non-peak times as construction progresses. The project aims to extend existing express lanes from near Dulles Corridor Interchange to GWMP near American Legion Bridge by late this year, with further developments scheduled for mid-2026.
For updates on traffic conditions and construction progress, visit VA 511 online or check out the project’s website at 495next.vdot.virginia.gov.
