
Last weekend, the 495 Express Lanes opened along the Virginia side of the Capital Beltway. The new "high occupancy toll lanes" -- commonly called HOT Lanes -- were built by private companies, which will collect revenue and set rates to control congestion. Many transportation planners say it's a glimpse of how many major road projects will be funded and operated in the future. But the arrangement, and some early safety questions, have raised concerns among skeptics.

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