The rollout of the I-66 Express Lanes began this morning (Monday) with tolls already on the high side for solo drivers, and high prices could be the norm depending on traffic.
Tolls as high as $25-30 were reported this morning for non-HOV drivers heading from the Capital Beltway to Washington, D.C. on eastbound I-66.
Child you’re gonna need a #sidehustle to travel on 66 inside the beltway!! #chaching pic.twitter.com/wDiLQIdVDQ
— Julie Wright (@thejuliewright) December 4, 2017
And when an ARLnow reporter logged onto the 66 Express Lanes app just before 8:30 a.m., solo drivers could still expect to be hit in their wallets, even just traveling eastbound on I-66 within Arlington.
At that time, a trip from Sycamore Street in East Falls Church to Rosslyn would cost a solo rider $11.50, while a separate journey from the Glebe Road exit to the Pentagon would cost $7. A trip from the Beltway to Washington on I-66 cost $21 at the time.
A fact sheet on the Virginia Department of Transportation’s website said tolling “will be dynamic and will fluctuate depending on the amount of traffic on the Express Lanes.”
“As with other Express Lanes facilities, dynamic pricing will manage demand for the lanes to provide users a reliable trip,” VDOT continued. “When traffic volumes increase, tolls will rise, and when traffic volumes decrease, toll rates will fall.”
⚠️ Reminder: 66 inside the Beltway is now E-ZPass only during rush hours. If you want to travel for free, you need to be HOV-2 with an E-ZPass Flex in HOV mode. Otherwise, you can pay a toll with your E-ZPass. pic.twitter.com/UJywT6MKhX
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) December 4, 2017
Eastbound I-66 inside the Beltway is free for carpoolers with at least two people in the car and an E-ZPass Flex device set to HOV. Solo drivers can take I-66 towards D.C. in the morning, as long as they’re willing to pay a toll that will vary with demand.
The High Occupancy Toll restrictions and charges will apply only to the peak demand direction during rush hour — 5:30-9:30 a.m. in the morning and 3-7 p.m. in the evening.
Traffic appeared to be flowing relatively freely on I-66 this morning from the overpass by Washington-Lee High School, where Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) broke ground on the HOT Lanes last year.
Virginia State Police had warned drivers to plan ahead and recognize the change in traffic patterns at the Express Lanes, and to not stop or back up.
And VSP spokeswoman Corinne Geller said there were “[no] significant crashes or traffic problems to report with this morning’s rush hour.” Based on social media accounts, eastbound I-66 inside the Beltway experienced delays on the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge heading into D.C. — a fairly typical occurrence for the morning rush.
“State police thanks all the motorists who put the extra effort into planning ahead and being prepared for the I-66 changes,” Geller said.
Update: Delay: EB on I-66 at T. Roosevelt Bridge in Arlington Co. No lanes closed. Minor Delays.8:54AM
— 511 Northern VA (@511northernva) December 4, 2017
Image No. 1: screenshot via 66 Express Lanes app