Exclusive: Minimum toll rate hiked on I-95 E-ZPass Express Lanes

No, you’re not seeing things.

It is costing you more to drive the Interstate 95 E-ZPass Express Lanes. The price hike is in effect when the fewest number of drivers are on the lanes when the rates are supposed to be the lowest.

The minimum toll was raised 50 cents to $1.50. Drivers who use the lanes on off-peak hours during late evenings, overnights and early mornings normally see this toll.

The toll price rises and falls depending upon the number of cars in the lanes. The more cars, the higher the toll price.

“Minimum tolls support coverage of the 24/7 operational costs for items such as control room monitoring and the Express Assist service provided to customers,” said Elisa Bell, a spokeswoman for Transurban, the private firm that manages and maintains the lanes.

This is the first time the minimum toll on the I-95 Express Lanes has been raised since the lanes opened nearly four years ago.

The price hike on the lanes comes as Transurban reports toll revenue collected on the I-95 lanes is already up 18 percent in the first quarter of 2018.  The average toll price paid by vehicles with two or fewer occupants was $8.04. Vehicles with at least three or more occupants ride free with an E-ZPass Flex Transponder.

On the I-495 E-ZPass Express Lanes, the average toll price paid was $5.43.

Hat tip to a Potomac Local reader who drives from Route 123 to the Pentagon who tipped us off to this story. He sent us an email noting that he had seen higher toll rates during his early-morning commute on I-95.