What will the toll rate be?
How will I pay the tolls?
How will I know ahead of time what the toll will be so I can decide whether to use the lanes?
Will the tolls change while I am in the lane?
Are all users of the HOT lanes required to have an E-ZPass?
How will access and tolling in the lanes be enforced?
How can you guarantee to maintain free-flowing conditions in the HOT lanes?
Will the lanes be tolled 24 hours-a-day for non-HOV motorists?
What safety measures will be in place to manage incidents on the lanes?
Will hybrids be allowed to travel free in the lanes?
Will commercial trucks be allowed to use the HOT lanes?
Will motorcycles ride the HOT lanes for free as they do the HOV lanes?



What will the toll rate be?
Tolls for the HOT lanes will be dynamic meaning they will change based on real-time traffic conditions to keep the lanes free flowing.

When traffic increases, tolls will go up. When traffic decreases, tolls will go down. Because the tolls are based on real-time traffic conditions, it's impossible for us to predict exactly what the tolls will be at any given time. We expect they will range from as low as 20 cents per mile to approximately a dollar per mile in some high-demand sections of the Beltway at peak times. The average trip cost is estimated to be between $5 and $6.

How will I pay the tolls?
Customers will pay tolls with E-ZPass while traveling at highway speeds. There will be no toll booths on the HOT lanes.

How will I know ahead of time what the toll will be so I can decide whether to use the lanes?
Electronic signs in advance of entry points will provide the latest toll rates. Drivers will see two electronic message signs before they enter the HOT lanes giving them time to choose whether to use HOT lanes or travel on the regular lanes.

Will the tolls change while I am in the lane?
No. Drivers will lock in their toll rate when they enter the lanes, and will be charged based on that rate and the distance traveled in the HOT lanes.

Are all users of the HOT lanes required to have a E-ZPass?
Yes. All vehicles traveling on the HOT lanes will be required to have an E-ZPass. Only those customers that want to have the option of switching between traveling in HOV or toll-paying mode need to have a new, switchable transponder. Customers who expect to always travel the lanes as a toll-paying customer may use a traditional E-ZPass transponder.

How will access and tolling in the lanes be enforced?
Enforcement of HOV access and tolling in the HOT lanes will be critical to keeping the lanes free-flowing at all times.

All HOT lanes users will be required to have an E-ZPass – standard or switchable. A reader will check for the presence of an E-ZPass and if there is no E-ZPass detected, the driver will be responsible for the cost of the toll and an administrative fee through the same kind of license plate detection/photo enforcement used on Virginia toll roads today.

Secondly, state police that are fully funded by Transurban (the operator) will be stationed in the HOT lanes corridor checking for HOV violators. Law enforcement will use equipment that will alert them of vehicles that are claiming to be HOV and perform a visual assessment. If the vehicle does not have the necessary 3+ occupants, the state trooper will pull over the vehicle and issue a summons

How can you guarantee to maintain free-flowing conditions in the HOT lanes?
The HOT lanes will use dynamic pricing to manage the number of toll-paying customers in the HOT lanes and keep them free flowing. On average, we expect vehicles to travel at 55 miles per hour, even during peak travel times.

HOT lanes that use dynamic toll prices in other U.S. cities have proven to provide faster, more reliable travel times. For example, travelers save about 20 minutes per trip on HOT lanes on I-10 in Houston; in Southern California, SR-91 customers estimated they shaved nearly 30 minutes off their morning and afternoon commutes; in Minneapolis, those using the express lanes generally experience a 20 mph increase in their speed; and average speed during AM peak on the Katy Freeway in Houston, Texas was 25 mph on the general purpose lanes and 59 mph on the HOT lanes.

The operator will use incident management tactics, such as closed-circuit video cameras, traffic sensors that quickly identify incidents on the HOT lanes and dedicated incident response crews. Additionally, strict enforcement of HOV access and tolling in the HOT lanes will be critical to maintaining free-flowing travel conditions in the HOT lanes.

In the event of a major incident, signs on the HOT lanes will communicate any necessary information to inform drivers and manage traffic.

Will the lanes be tolled 24 hours-a-day for non-HOV motorists?
Yes, tolls will always be in effect for non-HOV travelers on the HOT lanes. HOV drivers can travel for free on the lanes all the time.

What safety measures will be in place to manage incidents on the lanes?
The HOT lanes are designed to promote driver safety. The increased law enforcement located throughout the HOT lanes corridor will be among the most visible safety measures in place. In addition to HOV violation enforcement, these officers will enforce safe driving and will be available to respond immediately to incidents on the lanes.

Closed-circuit video cameras and traffic sensors will continuously monitor the lanes and identify incidents on the HOT lanes within approximately 30 seconds. Dedicated incident response crews will be deployed to manage incidents quickly, in cooperation with first responders and emergency service providers.

Will hybrids be allowed to travel free in the lanes?
Per Virginia law, hybrid drivers will not travel free in the lanes.

Will commercial trucks be allowed to use the HOT lanes?
Mid-sized trucks such as local delivery trucks may pay a toll to use the HOT lanes. Large, 18-wheel trucks will not be allowed to access the HOT lanes.

Will motorcycles ride the HOT lanes for free as they do the HOV lanes?
Yes. Motorcycles will be permitted to use the HOT lanes free of charge.