HOT lanes project federal lawsuit

WASHINGTON - Arlington County is filing a federal lawsuit asking for a more thorough review of the toll lanes project on interstates 95 and 395.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington against the Federal Highway Administration and Virginia challenges the exemption of the high-occupancy toll lanes project from normal environmental scrutiny.

The lawsuit also says that improper designs at the Shirlington off-ramp and the Eads Street terminus would cause traffic congestion on local streets.

Construction of HOT lanes on the Capital Beltway is under way, but plans to link them to similar lanes on I-95 and I-395 have not been completed. The state announced plans to delay the project on Monday blaming the weak credit market.