What is the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) / Tolled Express Lanes concept? HOV/tolled Express Lanes maximize the efficiency of HOV lanes. HOV/Express Lanes allow those who drive alone (also known as "single occupant vehicles") to use the HOV/Express Lanes if they pay a toll. As the HOV lanes have excess space, there is still room for additional vehicles without any travel time impacts to carpoolers to use these lanes without paying a toll. However, those who drive alone have the option of paying a toll.
Where are the Express Lanes located? The Express Lanes includes seven miles of the I-25 HOV lanes, between Downtown Denver and US 36. At this time, solo drivers/toll paying vehicles are not allowed to use the US 36 HOV lanes until the lanes start to merge to I-25 near Pecos. Anything west of Pecos is for HOV vehicles only.
When did the HOV/Express Lanes open? The I-25 HOV/Express Lanes opened on June 2, 2006.
Definitions:
HOV Lane: Vehicles with more than one person, motorcycles and busses may use this lane toll-free. Vehicles with only one occupant may not travel in the lane marked "HOV".
Express Lane: Vehicles with a transponder or new sticker tag that pass through the electronic toll collection enforcement area in the designated lane marked "Toll" may use the lanes and will be billed through their EXpressToll account, the amount of the toll in placing during the time the vehicle passed through the toll collection point. License Plate Toll was introduced on January 1, 2009 as another option to pay a toll. License Plate Toll customers are billed for their travel in the lane marked "Toll". For those vehicles without an EXpressToll transponder or new sticker tag, cameras will photograph the front and rear license plates and a bill will be sent one month later to the registered owner of the vehicle, for all the tolls incurred during that period. No advance registration is required. You just enter the toll highway. You will be billed later. Payment must be received by the date specified on the bill or the transactions listed on the statement will eventually become toll violations. In that case, a toll violation citation for each toll will be sent to the vehicle’s registered owner. It’s important to note that License Plate Toll customers will be billed the EXpressToll rate plus a surcharge (generally about 25% extra but may be more).
What is the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) / Tolled Express Lanes concept?