Public-Sector Vision and Private-Sector Competition Bring Local Job Creation, Transit Solutions, State-of-the-Art Technology, Pedestrian Trails and More
As the U.S. confronts rising inflation, global supply chain disruptions and unprecedented challenges to the U.S. labor market, building resilient infrastructure has never been more important.
Projections from the United Nations indicate that up to 6 billion people will live and work in urban areas by 2050. These numbers paint a sobering picture and underscore an urgency for states to confront their aging transportation ecosystems.
Answering this call in Virginia, the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project, is revolutionizing a congested corridor into a modern, sustainable, technology-driven multi-mobility roadway. Fueled by a public-private partnership at no cost to Commonwealth of Virginia taxpayers, the project is creating change in record time and using state-of-the-art technology while being completed earlier than anticipated.
Bringing a dynamic roadway to bear
According to the Reason Foundation, the U.S. has built almost $40 billion in new infrastructure through public-private partnerships — projects that may not have happened otherwise, and the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project is the largest public-private partnership roadway infrastructure project undertaken this century in the U.S.
Consistently ranked amongst the most traffic-congested regions in the country, Northern Virginia has faced years of daily stop-and-go traffic. The roadway will improve not just reliability in the 22.5-mile critical corridor of I-66, but the overall quality of life for travelers, while offering a variety of multimodal transportation options for all.
As they began the ambitious Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project, state planners received early proposals that required approximately $1 billion in traditional public funding. However, this funding route would have prevented future corridor improvements or transit investment.
Seeking an alternative path, the Commonwealth pursued a state-led, open and competitive procurement process. Private-sector competition from all over the world saved the Commonwealth taxpayers a total of $2.5 billion and generated a further $579 million contribution from the private sector. This path — which other states are pursuing — provided funding for additional priority multimodal projects around the region, including transit solutions, mixed-use trails, road and bridge improvements, rail, park-and-ride facilities and bus facilities. These multimodal initiatives include projects like the City of Fairfax and the Town of Vienna mixed-use trails, Virginia Rail Express (VRE) Manassas line expansion and improvements and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission bus and maintenance facility.
Additionally, an unprecedented $800 million commitment is being made over the life of the project for transit and transit operational improvements along the I-66 corridor by 2066. With private-sector investment totaling more than $3.6 billion, the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project comes at no cost to Commonwealth taxpayers.
“The I-66 Outside the Beltway project is a national example of a multimodal solution providing not only a world-class, traffic congestion-reducing roadway but also pedestrian and biking trails and park-and-ride facilities for enhanced Metro access,” said former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters. “All made possible by marketplace competition and collaboration between the public and private sectors.”
Incorporating state-of-the-art technology in infrastructure
Behind the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project is a collaboration between the developer consortium led by Cintra, including partners Meridiam and APG, and the contractor team led by Ferrovial Construction together with partner Allan Myers. This next generation roadway, the culmination of thoughtful public and private sector teamwork, will help motorists save time, reduce traffic congestion, improve travel safety and enhance regional connectivity.
Leveraging the Cintra-led AIVIA Smart Roads vehicle-to-infrastructure system for supporting autonomous vehicles, the roadway will feature seamless interaction between autonomous, connected and manned vehicles. Combined with high-powered cloud computing, vehicles will communicate with the infrastructure itself to sense inclement weather, construction zones, roadway obstacles and other potential safety concerns. Ultimately, the technology enables more people to move safely and arrive at their destination more quickly. This holistic mobility corridor connects communities through its rail line expansion, park-and-ride hubs, more than 2,000 new parking spaces, bus bays and carpool areas, as well as 11 miles of shared-use bicycle and pedestrian trails.
Since becoming operational in 2014, drivers on Cintra-developed managed lanes in North Texas experienced 35 percent travel time savings during peak hours through October 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. By adding managed lanes to I-66 Outside the Beltway in Northern Virginia, the project will reduce congestion and increase traffic flow on the infrastructure. With two managed lanes in either direction, the project utilizes a dynamically priced tolling system to maintain speeds of at least 55 miles per hour. All the while, motorists will have the option of driving on three improved, free general-purpose lanes in both directions.
Creating jobs and transforming a corridor
Primed for completion by the end of 2022, the efficient alignment of the public and private sector interests, as demonstrated through the vertical integration of the developer consortium and contractor team, has turned a long-discussed project into reality. As a result, thousands of jobs were created for Virginians.
The Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project has already put more than 400 local and regional companies and disadvantaged business enterprises to work, not only creating a roadway but also contributing to stronger connections throughout the area's local economies that benefit all segments of the region and state. At the height of construction, at least 1,700 local workers were on-site each day.
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