Transform 66 Outside the Beltway: Construction update meeting on Sept 4th for Vienna-Oakton area

On Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project Team will host an update meeting on upcoming work near the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro Station, Route 123 Interchange construction progress, and the new design for the Nutley Street Interchange. The meeting will be held at the Providence Community Center, 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax, with an open house from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. A brief presentation will begin at 7 p.m. and will be repeated at 8 p.m.

Project Progress

Two major milestones for the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project were reached in August, including setting the first bridge beams at the new Bull Run Drive overpass and achieving a major safety milestone of two million safe work hours on the project.

Additional activities included:

• New temporary traffic patterns at the ramp from I-66 West to Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) North and Braddock Road at Route 28, so work can progress on the new Route 123 and Route 28 interchanges
• Traffic pattern shift on I-66 West near Gallows Road and the start of new bridge piers next to the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro Station for the new Gallows Road overpass
• Progress on new retaining walls near Jermantown Road along I-66 East and West
• Bridge foundation work at Route 28, I-495, Route 234 Business (Sudley Road), and Bull Run Drive
• Paving at the University Boulevard Park and Ride Lot in Gainesville

“Steve the Crane” is making a name for himself on I-66

By now, many of you have probably driven by or seen media featuring the now semi-famous Transform 66 team member that some social media users have named “Steve the Crane.” While he may be a fun diversion for many on their daily commutes, for the I-66 project team, Steve and his fellow cranes are critical to our construction efforts as we transform I-66.

Steve and similar cranes, professionally referred to as 500-ton cranes, have some impressive capabilities. Standing 189 feet tall when extended, Steve’s arms provide critical support for lifting heavy loads. He helped us set the first bridge beams of the project at the new Bull Run Drive overpass. Each of the 10 bridge beams are 131 feet long and 62 tons in weight. Steve then moved to Route 234 Business (Sudley Road), setting up in the median below I-66 to lift beams for the new bridge carrying the collector-distributor road for traffic exiting I-66 West.

Steve does not yet have a location for his next lifting session, but with many more bridges to build on this 22-mile project, keep an eye out for him and his fellow cranes!

Nutley Street interchange design change

The new “double roundabout” design proposed for the Nutley Street Interchange will move forward beginning in early 2020. This alternative and innovative design will improve traffic flow and safety on Nutley Street and can be built in a smaller footprint than the earlier design proposal. These and other benefits were highlighted at a public information meeting in June 2019. Find additional details about the new design on the project website outside.transform66.org. Nutley Street Interchange construction will be coordinated with the planned temporary closure of the nearby Vaden Street bridge over I-66 to minimize impacts to the traveling public.

Fender Bender? Move it over to a pull-off area

Keeping people safe and traffic moving are top priorities for the Transform 66 Project team. Drivers who are involved in a minor crash (no one injured, the car can be driven) or a breakdown can do their part by moving their vehicle out of the roadway to avoid obstructing traffic. It’s not just the right thing to do – it’s the law.

There are currently 16 designated emergency pull-off areas located on the right shoulder along the I-66 Outside the Beltway construction corridor. These areas are identified with orange signs and provide designated places for drivers to stop in case of crashes or emergencies to keep drivers safe and help reduce congestion and secondary crashes.

If you’re in a minor crash or breakdown, do the safe thing – move your vehicle to the shoulder or an emergency pull-off area.