Another Reason Motorists Should Support Road Tolling

Two things motorists detest: tolls and congestion. Tolls, if effectively applied, lessen congestion, but at a high cost to drivers. However, steep tolls also provide a political incentive to "fix the bottlenecks," as shown by the 66 Express Lanes.

2 minute read

September 4, 2018, 9:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


Bay Bridge Toll

Ann Baldwin / Shutterstock

Another lesson from what may be America's best example of roadway congestion pricing, where tolls topping $40 (one-way) do occur on occasion, particularly when the subway breaks down.

Max Smith, WTOP’s Northern Virginia transportation reporter, writes that construction has begun to add an additional lane "to ease a chokepoint that helps drive up toll prices on Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway...Those frequent traffic jams are a significant driver of the morning toll prices for solo drivers using the highway."

Unlike all other high occupancy tolls (HOT) lanes adjacent to general purpose (unpriced) lanes in the United States, all lanes on the 66 Express Lanes become HOT lanes during the peak hours in the peak direction, so motorists can't escape the congestion, nor the toll unless they carpool ride a motorcycle.

The operator of the 66 Express Lanes, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), may also be more politically sensitive to criticism than private operators, such as Transurban, an Australian company which built and operates the 495 and 95 Express Lanes in Virginia. VDOT has been attempting to reduce the tolls, without capping or refunding them, as some legislators demand, by tweaking the toll pricing algorithm.

Average tolls on 66 Express Lanes

While those $40+ tolls make headlines, they are not the norm. Smith reported on Aug. 20 that "[f]rom the time tolling began Dec. 4 through the end of June, the overall average paid by each toll payer each morning is now $8.39, with the average in the afternoon now at $5.21."

Tolls are higher in the morning than the afternoon largely due to the chokepoint at the Dulles Connector Road, where traffic can frequently slow...

Which brings us back to where we started, as this is the stretch that's being widened.

Smith also reported that the violation rate, i.e., motorists who don't have transponders (E-ZPass) and face penalties on top of tolls, is 13.5 percent.

While the 66 Express Lanes are unique due to the all-HOT Lane design, they are similar to other HOT lanes in that a large percentage of users are not paying tolls because these are, after all, carpool lanes. Unlike other HOT lanes, there is no toll-exemption for electric vehicles.

Overall, more vehicles paid to use the road in June with a regular E-ZPass or an E-ZPass Flex in toll paying mode (44.2 percent) than rode free with an E-ZPass Flex switched to HOV mode to indicate the driver had at least one other person with them in the car (42.3 percent).

Related 66 Express Lanes posts:

Hat tip to IBTTA Smart Brief.

Monday, August 27, 2018 in WTOP

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

4 hours ago - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

5 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

6 hours ago - Cities Today