HOT Lanes Hit Toll Record
The cost to use the toll lanes on I-85 in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties hit a new record this week. The toll to drive the full 16-mile distance reached $6.05 during Tuesday morning’s rush hour.
The State Road and Tollway Authority says the toll has been hovering around the $6 mark for about a month. SRTA spokesperson Malika Wilkins says that means the lanes are working as intended.
“As more demand enters that lane, the pricing goes up because you want to make sure people are getting reliable travel times and that it’s not slowing in the express lanes,” she says.
Chris Haley helped form a coalition called “Stolen Lanes,” which opposed the lanes. He says the group is currently on hiatus. Haley says the record-setting toll isn’t a sign the lane is working, for drivers at least.
“With continued growth in traffic volume, prices are going to skyrocket,” Haley says, “The second thing that concerns me is that of course you’re going to see government officials pleased with tax revenue. That should not be the function of transportation is to provide a revenue stream to our government.”
As demand for the lanes increases, so has demand for access. Officials are issuing about 2000 passes to use the lanes each week.
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