Lane, the US subsidiary of construction company Webuild Group, has achieved a significant milestone in the 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project in Virginia, US, with the installation of key steel girders.
This project is part of the broader initiative to extend the 145km express lane network in the state, aiming to alleviate congestion and enhance road safety.
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Transurban, an infrastructure developer and operator, has entrusted Lane with the $441m design-and-build segment of the $660m project, which covers a 4km stretch of Interstate 495 (I-495). Currently, the project is 75% complete.
During ‘Big Beam Weekend’, workers installed five large steel girder assemblies, comprising ten beams, to span 90m across the northbound lanes of I-495.
This installation serves as the foundation for a new express lanes ramp. Each girder is more than 3m high, nearly 1m wide, and 90m long, with weights ranging from 70 to 80 tons.
The beams were transported flat by truck due to their size and then lifted into an upright position by cranes in a staging area.
This operation necessitated lane closures and an extended work period to maintain safety, as the installation could not be carried out over live traffic.
The 495 NEXT project is being delivered through a public-private partnership between Transurban and the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The opening of the new lanes is anticipated by the end of 2025, with the entire project’s completion expected by mid-2026.
Webuild is also working on the 13km I-395 Express Lanes Extension through Fairfax County to the Washington, D.C. border, the 47km 95 Express Lanes from Alexandria to Stafford, and nearly 22km of the 495 Express Lanes from the Springfield Interchange to just north of the Dulles Toll Road.
Last month, Lane began construction on the I-77 Interchange highway project in South Carolina, US.
