Beltway drivers will have one less exit as early as Saturday
The Virginia Department of Transportation will be permanently closing the left exit on the Capital Beltway/Interstate 495 North to Interstate 66 West starting “on or about” Oct. 1.
The closure of Exit 49C is part of the $1.4 billion project to add High Occupancy Toll lanes project along the Beltway. By late 2012, vehicles will either need to pay or have multiple people in the car to use less-congested lanes.
The immediate change means that drivers who want to head west on I-66 will need to stay to the right instead and take Exit 49A. The ramp has been widened to two lanes to accommodate the additional traffic.
But officials urge drivers to use caution as everyone gets used to the new traffic pattern. Here’s a map of the change.
