Denver Area's Expensive Toll Road More Popular Than Ever

The E-470 toll road recently hit its 25th anniversary at a time of high use, and high revenues. "But even as E-470 enjoyed its best year in 2015 and Wednesday celebrates its silver anniversary, longtime critics say the highway locks out too many local motorists who can’t afford its price tag," writes Monte Whaley.

A trip along the entire 47-mile expressway now costs $17.45, or $14 with an ExpressToll account. When the final phase of the route opened in 2003, the same trip cost $8.50. Some critics argue that cost of driving E-470 has betrayed the promise of trucks taking the route to bypass the city. For an 18-wheeler with five axles and no toll account, the entire route costs $69.50.

Yet, 2015 was the sixth year of growing traffic on E-470, which also increased net toll revenues to $173 million. The project's debt-income ratio even means that E-470 can "afford an $88 million expansion of the tollway between Parker Road and Quincy Avenue from two lanes to three in each direction."