April Georgelas, who lives west of the Capital Beltway (I-495), insists that VDOT’s decision to open the shoulder and expand the roadway to five lanes increased traffic in McLean. The existing shoulder was rebuilt to allow traffic on the left shoulder of northbound I-495 from where the 495 Express Lanes end to the George Washington Parkway — a total of 1.5 miles. VDOT began work on the $20 million project in June 2014 and completed it in June 2015.