Update on Route 123 Construction in Tysons

Just about any advisory from a transportation department includes these two words: "weather permitting."

In this rainy spell, the weather has not been permitting. It has slowed the schedules on some road construction projects likely to have a big impact on drivers. One is the overnight work on the Capital Beltway around the Telegraph Road interchange, which is canceled yet again tonight.

Another is the portion of the HOT lanes project that will build new lanes of the Beltway over Route 123 in Tysons Corner. The Virginia Department of Transportation announced plans to close the left lanes in both directions on that stretch of Route 123 so that construction of a bridge pier could proceed in the median. The left lane on the southbound side, leading into Tysons, has been closed for a couple of weeks. The left lane on the northbound side, leading out of Tysons, remains open.

That may change overnight -- weather permitting. So if you're commuting through Tysons on Thursday morning, pay particular attention to the electronic message boards and other signs and watch for the possibility of congestion as drivers get used to a new pattern. If it doesn't happen overnight tonight, it will happen soon.