report to the strategic development committee...background • vdot is currently working on a...
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Report to the
Strategic Development Committee
Recommendation to Approve Virginia Department
of Transportation’s Request for Easements within
the Dulles International Airport Access Highway
for the “Transform I-66 Inside the Beltway”
Project
October 2016
PURPOSE
Staff requests that the Strategic Development Committee approve and
recommend to the Board of Directors that it authorize the President and Chief
Executive Officer to execute permanent and temporary easements across
certain Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (Airports Authority) land
located within the Dulles International Airport Access Highway (DIAAH) in
favor of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for the
“Transform I-66 Inside the Beltway” project.
BACKGROUND
• VDOT is currently working on a project - known as “Transform I-66
Inside the Beltway” - (Project) to convert the segment of I-66 inside the
Capital Beltway to dynamically-priced toll lanes in the peak direction
during morning and afternoon rush hours.
• VDOT will charge tolls to all single occupant vehicles, including hybrid
vehicles, travelling in the peak direction during peak hours.
• Currently, traffic on this segment of I-66 is restricted to high occupancy
vehicles with two or more passengers (HOV 2+) from 6:30 a.m. until 9:00
a.m. eastbound and from 4:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. westbound.
BACKGROUND (Continued)
• Upon completion of the Project, eastbound vehicles will pay tolls from 5:30
a.m. until 9:30 a.m. on weekdays and westbound vehicles will pay tolls
from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on weekdays.
• HOV-2+ vehicles and buses will not be tolled.
• The lanes will remain free to all traffic during off-peak periods and on
weekends.
• Single occupant vehicles travelling to and from Washington Dulles
International Airport during the peak hours will be required to pay the toll.
Today such vehicles are not subject to the HOV-2+ restrictions on I-66.
BACKGROUND (Continued)
• The Commonwealth of Virginia will use all revenue generated from the
Project to benefit the I-66 corridor, both inside and outside the Capital
Beltway.
• According to VDOT, the average toll is expected to be approximately $5-6
per trip; however, the tolls will vary, and will increase or decrease based on
demand, in order to provide users a more constant rate of speed for the
entire trip.
• Tolling will be accomplished via E-ZPass and is expected to begin in the
summer of 2017.
DISCUSSION
• VDOT is required to inform drivers bound for the tolled segment of I-66
that travel on this part of I-66 requires payment of a toll during certain
hours and is also required to state the amount of the toll.
• In order to provide this information, VDOT will install advisory signs in
locations that give drivers wishing to avoid the tolls the ability to choose
alternative toll-free routes.
• Six of these signs, as well as associated tolling system elements, including
conduits for carrying fiber optic cable, are proposed to be installed on
Airports Authority property, along the eastbound Dulles Toll Road (DTR)
and the eastbound DIAAH, between Spring Hill Road and I-495.
DISCUSSION (Continued)
• VDOT is requesting a permanent easement of 1.13 acres for placement of
the signs and equipment, along with a temporary easement of 0.88 acres, to
accommodate construction activity related to the installation.
• VDOT has agreed to allow the Airports Authority the right to install
cameras, sensors and related traffic monitoring equipment on the VDOT
structures within the easement, should the Airports Authority desire to do
so in the future.
• VDOT will not be assessed a charge for this easement, consistent with the
Airports Authority’s practice of providing easements to governmental
entities at no cost.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff requests that the Strategic Development Committee approve and
recommend to the Board of Directors that it authorize the President and Chief
Executive Officer to execute a permanent easement of approximately 1.13
acres and a temporary easement of approximately 0.88 acres, across Airports
Authority property located within the Dulles International Airport Access
Highway in favor of VDOT in connection with its “Transform I-66 Inside the
Beltway” project.
Proposed Resolution
Authorizing the Conveyance of Easements to the Virginia Department of Transportation
Across Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Property Within the Dulles International Airport Access Highway for the
“Transform I-66 Inside the Beltway” Project WHEREAS, The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is undertaking a project known as “Transform I-66 Inside the Beltway” (Project) to convert the segment of I-66 inside the Capital Beltway to dynamically-priced toll lanes in the peak direction during weekday morning and afternoon rush hours; WHEREAS, Upon completion of this Project, single occupant eastbound vehicles on I-66 inside the Beltway will pay tolls on weekdays from 5:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. and single occupant westbound vehicles will pay tolls on weekdays from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.; WHEREAS, Vehicles with two or more persons and buses will not be tolled and the lanes will remain free to all traffic during off-peak periods and on weekends; WHEREAS, Single occupant vehicles travelling to and from Washington Dulles International Airport during the peak hours will also be required to pay the toll; WHEREAS, Tolling will be accomplished via E-ZPass and is expected to begin in the summer of 2017;
WHEREAS, VDOT is required to inform drivers bound for I-66 that travel on I-66 is subject to a toll during certain hours, and the amount of the toll;
WHEREAS, In order to provide this information, VDOT will install advisory
signs in locations that give drivers the ability to choose alternative toll-free routes;
WHEREAS, Six of these signs, as well as some associated tolling system elements, including fiber optic cable conduits, are proposed to be installed on Airports Authority property, along the eastbound Dulles Toll Road and the
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eastbound Dulles International Airport Access Highway, between Spring Hill Road and I-495;
WHEREAS, In order to complete this project, the VDOT has requested a permanent easement totaling 1.13 acres and a temporary construction easement totaling 0.88 acres; WHEREAS, The Airports Authority will be permitted to install cameras, sensors and traffic monitoring equipment on the VDOT structures within the easement area; and WHEREAS, The Strategic Development Committee has reviewed the proposed easement, as presented by staff at its October 2016 meeting, and recommended that the easement should be granted at no cost; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the President and Chief Executive Officer is authorized and directed to execute the easement to the Virginia Department of Transportation as identified in detail in the documents presented to the Board of Directors at its October 2016 meeting.
For Consideration by the Strategic Development Committee and Board of Directors on October 19, 2016
REPORT TO THE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION’S REQUEST FOR
EASEMENTS WITHIN THE DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
ACCESS HIGHWAY
FOR THE “TRANSFORM I-66 INSIDE THE BELTWAY” PROJECT
OCTOBER 2016
ACTION REQUESTED
That the Strategic Development Committee approve and recommend to the Board
of Directors that it authorize the President and Chief Executive Officer to execute
permanent and temporary easements across certain Metropolitan Washington
Airports Authority (Airports Authority) land located within the Dulles
International Airport Access Highway (DIAAH) in favor of the Virginia
Department of Transportation (VDOT) for the “Transform I-66 Inside the
Beltway” project.
BACKGROUND
VDOT is currently working on a project – known as “Transform I-66 Inside the
Beltway” (Project) – to convert the segment of I-66 inside the Capital Beltway
(Beltway) to dynamically-priced toll lanes in the peak direction during morning
and afternoon rush hours. The tolling equipment for the Project will be similar to
the equipment that is currently used for the high occupancy vehicle travel lanes on
the Beltway and I-95 in Virginia. Tolling on I-66 will be accomplished via E-
ZPass transponders, and VDOT will install equipment along the interstate roadway
that recognizes these transponders and, in addition, identifies vehicles using the
tolled lanes without a transponder.
VDOT will charge tolls to all single occupant vehicles, including hybrid vehicles,
travelling in the peak direction during peak hours. Currently, traffic on this
segment of I-66 is restricted to high occupancy vehicles with two or more
passengers (HOV-2+), from 6:30 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. eastbound and from 4:00
p.m. until 6:30 p.m. westbound. Upon completion of the Project, single occupant
vehicles using this segment of I-66 will pay tolls when travelling eastbound from
5:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. and westbound from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.; HOV-2+
vehicles and buses will not be assessed a toll. During off-peak periods and
weekends, these I-66 lanes will remain free to all traffic. Single occupant vehicles
travelling to and from Washington Dulles International Airport during the peak
period will be required to pay the toll. Today, such vehicles are not subject to the
HOV-2+ restrictions on I-66.
The Commonwealth of Virginia will use all generated toll revenue from the Project
to benefit the I-66 corridor, both inside and outside the Beltway. According to
VDOT, the average toll is expected to be approximately $5-6 per trip; however,
tolls will vary, and will increase or decrease based on demand, in order to provide
users a more constant rate of speed for the entire trip. VDOT began construction
in the summer of 2016, and expects to complete the Project and begin tolling in the
summer of 2017.
DISCUSSION
VDOT is required to inform drivers bound for the Project’s tolled segment of I-66
that travel on this part of I-66 requires payment of a toll during certain hours, and
is also required to state the amount of the toll these drivers will be assessed if they
elect to use the tolled roadway. VDOT will provide this notice by placing advisory
signs in locations that give drivers wishing to avoid the I-66 tolls the ability to
choose alternative toll-free routes.
Six of these signs and associated tolling system elements necessary for operation
of the signs (e.g., conduits for carrying fiber optic cable) are proposed to be
installed on Airports Authority property. The signs will be installed between the
eastbound lanes of Dulles Toll Road (DTR) and the eastbound lanes of the DIAAH
between Spring Hill Road and I-495. Before and during the morning peak period,
these signs will alert eastbound DTR and DIAAH drivers of the upcoming tolled I-
66 lanes and of the toll the drivers will be assessed if they continue on to I-66.
Page A-1 of the attached Exhibit A provides an overview of the entire area of
Airports Authority property affected by the easements. Pages A-2 and A-3, which
provide more detailed views of the easement areas, show in orange, the proposed
permanent easement area of 1.13 acres for the placement of these signs and related
equipment and also show, in blue, a proposed temporary easement area of 0.88
acres that will accommodate construction of the signs and related equipment. The
temporary easement will automatically terminate upon completion of the Project’s
construction.
The Airports Authority has expressed to VDOT an interest in placing cameras,
sensors and related equipment on the structures holding these new VDOT signs at
some point in the future to facilitate the monitoring of traffic on the DTR and the
DIAAH. VDOT has agreed to allow the Airports Authority to place such
equipment on its new sign structures, so long as the Airports Authority equipment
does not interfere with VDOT’s operations. Language to this effect will be
included in the deed of easement that the Airports Authority issues to VDOT.
VDOT will not be assessed a charge for the easements. The Airports Authority’s
longstanding practice has been to provide easements on its land to governmental
entities at no cost.
CONCLUSION
Staff requests that the Strategic Development Committee approve and recommend
to the Board that it authorize the President and Chief Executive Officer to execute
a permanent easement of approximately 1.13 acres and a temporary easement of
approximately 0.88 acres, across Airports Authority property located within the
Dulles International Airport Access Highway, both as shown on Exhibit A, in
favor of VDOT in connection with its “Transform I-66 Inside the Beltway” project.
Prepared by:
Office of General Counsel
October 2016
Attachment