The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) opened the eastbound toll lane on I-70 to traffic. The lane is 13 miles long and cost $78 million to build. The lane officially opened at 9:06 a.m. and traffic flow was reported to be steady and flowing.
The toll lane is intended to provide motorists heading to local ski resorts with reliable 40- to 45-mph traffic along I-70.
Signs informed eastbound drivers that the toll lane was open and indicated a toll amount, but CDOT is waiving all charges for the time being. Vehicles in all eastbound lanes traveled at the speed limit for most of the 13-mile stretch to the Veterans Memorial Tunnels east of Idaho Springs.
Charges will range from $3 to $30 for vehicles equipped with ExpressToll transponders. The varying rates are intended to regulate the number of vehicles using the lane, which was constructed to accommodate 750 to 900 vehicles per hour. The maximum toll for vehicles without transponders could hit $40.
