Pay for the Express Lanes, sit in traffic or adjust your schedule — those seem to be the three main three options now that the 395 Express Lanes are open.
Commuters who drive solo or with just one passenger will have pay a toll that will vary based on time of day and demand on the 395 Express Lanes. It is in effect 24/7, unlike the prior HOV lanes that only had passenger restrictions at certain times of day and were free to use.
You will need an E-ZPass or an E-ZPass Flex to use the lanes, similar to the I-495 Express Lanes. To ride free with at least two passengers, set your E-ZPass Flex to HOV mode.
You can check the price of your trip before leaving by downloading the Express Lanes mobile app from Transurban and plugging in your entry and exit points for an estimate. Or, visit www.expresslanes.com/map-your-trip.
Tuesday, the toll was $16.70 from Edsall into the District at 7:30 a.m.
One commuter commented on the Alexandria Living Magazine Facebook page, "These are supposed to help the traffic on 395 yet this morning the toll lanes are virtually empty and the regular lanes started backing up earlier than normal. These lanes only help people who are financially well off or who get a company EZ pass. Average people can not afford an extra $20-$40 a day to get to work.
Another person commented on Facebook, "I'm sorry. I don't get this. I know, I know it's supposed to help people move from the car to mass transit. I get that but if you get on the new Express Lane at a certain point, it should be the same price ALL DAY to the same point. This is really creating a class system where the rich get to keep their cars and drive where they want and the poor don't. I have a problem with that."
We didn't hear from any residents who were happy with the opening of the Express Lanes. (If you feel that way, let us know here on Facebook or in the comments on this article!)
Tolls
Morning Northbound from Edsall Road into the District:
Based on the information from the online trip mapping tool:
- After dropping below $3 Sunday night, the trip was up to $9.70 just before 6 a.m. Monday.
- 7 a.m. Monday from Edsall to the District: $14.70.
- 7:45 a.m. - Edsall to the District was $17.05.
- Around 8:30 a.m. the price dropped to $15.30.
- By 9 a.m., the price had dropped to $11.95.
Afternoon Southbound from the District to Edsall Road:
- At 3:30 p.m. Monday, the southbound toll was $7.60.
- Around 5:15 p.m., the trip was $9.70.
- At 5:55 p.m. Monday, the price from the District to Edsall Road was $10.70.
- Around 7 p.m., the price had dropped back below $7 and remained there overnight.
The express lanes, operated by Transurban, will run northbound in the mornings and southbound in the evenings on the eight miles of roadway from Edsall Road in Fairfax County to the 14th Street Bridge in the District.
I-66 Express Lanes opened in December 2017, and since then the Falls Church area has seen a significant increase in traffic. The Falls Church News Press reported that Falls Church Police Chief Mary Gavin said the tolls on I-66 “has put more traffic on the side roads,” and traffic is now the public's top complaint to her department.
Whether the 395 Express Lanes force more traffic onto major north-south routes such as Van Dorn Avenue remains to be seen.
If your company will let you, you might consider telecommuting. See these articles for more on working from home (or from another space):
- How to Convince Your Boss to Let You Telecommute
- How to Create a Workable Home Office
- Coffee Common Sense: Etiquette Tips for Working from Your Favorite Cafe
- Office Space: Co-working Grows Up
More about Pricing and Using the Express Lanes
Pricing for the express lanes will update about every 10 minutes on overhead signs. Here's what we know:
- Carpools of 3 or more can ride toll-free with an E-ZPass Flex® set to "HOV ON."
- All existing I-395 HOV entry and exit points will become 395 Express Lanes entry and exit points, except for the Seminary Road ramp that faces south, which will stay HOV-only.
- At any point before Dec. 1, carpoolers who don’t have an E-ZPass® can contact the Express Lanes team to register their license plate number for seven days of toll-free travel on the Lanes. The grace period is to give drivers time to order an E-ZPass® Flex online or pick one up from an area retailer.
If you drive on the lanes but don't have an EZPass, you will receive a bill in the mail that includes a service fee.
Drivers can get an E-ZPass by signing up online, calling (877) 762-7824 or in-person from E-ZPass Customer Service Centers. Learn more at www.ezpassva.com.
