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April 11th, 2013 
Peter Nolan
THE amount of traffic on Transurban’s 495 Express Lanes road project in the United States is on the rise following a disappointing start.
Transurban was involved in a major upgrade of the Interstate 495 road in Northern Virginia, a ring road around Washington DC which is one of the most congested roads in the US.
In February, Transurban said initial traffic on the 495 Express Lanes, which opened to traffic last November, had been below expectations.
But releasing its traffic and revenue data for the March quarter on Thursday, the toll roads operator said more vehicles were now using the road.
“It remains too early to determine any reliable traffic trends for the 495 Express Lanes, however traffic continues to grow from the initial levels observed when the road opened late in 2012,” chief executive Scott Charlton said in a statement.
“We are focused on ensuring that community education and engagement remains strong to grow awareness of the value proposition being delivered by this highly innovative project in Northern Virginia.”
The work carried out by Transurban on the roadway included the introduction of High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes.
HOT lanes operate alongside existing highway lanes and aim to provide users with a faster, more predictable travel option.
Buses, carpools with three or more passengers, motorcycles and emergency vehicles have free access to the 495 Express Lanes.
Drivers with fewer than three occupants pay a toll to access the lanes.
Revenue on the 495 Express Lanes grew from a daily average of $US18,408 for the December quarter (November 17 to December 31) to an average of $US27,499 for the March quarter.
Transurban said that toll revenue for all its roads in Australia and the US increased by 5.6 per cent to $196.4 million for the March quarter compared to the prior corresponding period.
Its largest asset, CityLink in Melbourne, generated revenue growth of 7.0 per cent on the back of 2.6 per cent growth in traffic.
Securities in Transurban were three cents higher at $6.53 at 1343 AEST.
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