NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will be implementing multiweek closures impacting the Reversible Express Lanes in Norfolk, located between I-264 and I-564.
These closures will allow for the completion of the bridge widening construction for the first phase of the Hampton Roads Express Lane (HREL) Norfolk Segment.
Estimated to begin as early as 5 a.m. on Sept. 9, traffic will be impacted as follows for approximately 7 weeks:
- A continuous single lane closure will be in place for both directions of the Reversible Express Lanes between just west of Tidewater Drive (exit 277) and east of I-564/Granby Street (exit 276).
Traveling I-64 West:
- The Reversible Express Lanes westbound exit ramp to the I-64 west mainline will be closed at the I-564 interchange, prohibiting all westbound Express Lanes traffic from exiting to the I-64 west general purpose lanes.
- As a result, all motorists traveling the westbound Reversible Express Lanes MUST exit to I-564 during this closure. All westbound traffic on I-64 in Norfolk traveling to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) must use the mainline general purpose lanes during this closure.
- All westbound tolls will be lifted for the Reversible Express Lanes in Norfolk to help mitigate further congestion as a result of this closure for both the Express Lanes and general purpose lanes for this peak travel time. While the dynamic, high occupancy tolling system is typically used to manage traffic flow to ensure a reliable trip in the Express Lanes, proactively lifting tolls during these closures allows more motorists traveling to I-564 to utilize the Express Lanes, helping relieve additional pressure on the general purpose lanes. Although this may increase traffic volume in the Express Lanes and impact travel time reliability, this temporary measure provides motorists an additional route option during this period of construction.
Traveling I-64 East:
- The Reversible Express Lanes entrance from the I-64 east general purpose lanes near Granby Street (exit 276) will be closed.
I-564:
- The Reversible Express Lanes westbound exit ramp to I-564 west will remain open during the morning commute when the reversible lanes are running westbound.
- The Reversible Express Lanes eastbound entrance ramp from I-564 east will remain open for the afternoon commute when the reversible lanes are open eastbound, with high-occupancy tolling operations in place for solo drivers and toll-free for those traveling with two or more occupants with the E-ZPass Flex transponder.
This section of the HREL Norfolk will become a part of an 45-mile high-occupancy toll Express Lanes network on I-64, from west of Denbigh Boulevard in Newport News to the I-264/I-664 Bowers Hill interchange in Chesapeake.
For up-to-date information about construction, traffic, incidents and congestion visit 511Virginia.org.