According to a state presentation, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) plans to launch a tender process for the development of the I-66 Corridor Improvements project in fall 2014. 

The I-66 Corridor Improvements project starts at U.S. Route 15 in Prince William County to Interstate 495 in Fairfax County.

The project will be developed on a design, build, finance, operation and maintenance (DBFOM) basis and could be finance by a TIFIA loan. The total project investment is estimated to be between US$2 and US$3 billion.

Terry McAuliffe, Governor of Virginia, stated:

Over the last couple of months VDOT has worked closely with the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), the Office of Transportation Public-Private Partnerships (OTP3) and Fairfax and Prince William counties to devise a plan that will reduce congestion on I-66 by increasing capacity and giving travelers more choices.

We kick off 17 months of rigorous environmental study and robust community involvement. By the end of 2016 our plan is to complete environmental work, identify funding sources, receive federal approval, and move forward on a plan to turn I-66 into the efficient, multi-modal corridor that Virginia's economy needs.

The tender process is expected to start by fall 2014. The request for calification will be issued in late 2014. The shortlist is scheduled to be announced in mid 2015. Under the proposed plan I-66 would be improved to provide:

• Three regular lanes in each direction;
• Two express lanes in each direction (the existing high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane would be converted to an express lane and one new express lane would be constructed);
• High-frequency bus service with predictable travel times; and,
• Direct access between the express lanes and new or expanded commuter lots.

In December 2011 we reported that nineteen firms had responded to the Request for Information (RFI) for the project. The list of interested firms includes, among others, SNC-Lavalin Inc., Vinci Concessions USA, Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., Fluor Enterprises, Inc., HOCHTIEF and Flatiron, Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. and Kiewit Development Company, Acciona Concessions Canada Inc., ACS Infrastructure Development and Dragados USA, and AECOM.