FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — For Virginia drivers, the stretch of Interstate 95 south in Fredericksburg can be a nightmare. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said its newest project, set to open next week, will bring significant relief to that area.
The Rappahannock River Crossing Project is set to open for drivers on Oct. 13, with the entire project finished in December.
"Everybody knows Fredericksburg has long been a bottleneck on the I-95 corridor between D.C. and Richmond," said Robert Ridgell, VDOT's Megaprojects Engineer.
Ridgell took WUSA9 on the new southbound bridge over the Rappahannock River for a first look. The new traffic pattern will split I-95 southbound into local and through lanes. Drivers will need to make a decision where they want to go before Exit 136 at Centreport Parkway.
"Basically you'll stay left to go to the through lanes at 17 and you'll go right to go into the local lanes at 17," said Ridgell.
Those through lanes are for travelers headed to Richmond and further south. The local lanes are for drivers who need to take Route 3 and Route 17.
The project is opening five months early, thanks to lighter pandemic traffic. The entire project is expected to be completed in December, with all three thru lanes and all three local lanes open. That will double capacity in the area, easing traffic, according to engineers.
The six-mile work zone with southbound lane closures is scheduled to begin the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 12 through early afternoon Wednesday, Oct. 13. VDOT said to expect significant delays during that time, advising drivers to use alternate routes.
Northbound I-95 is also getting a new bridge and additional lanes to help with congestion. That project has an estimated completion date of early 2024.
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