In June 2011 a new electronic toll will be added to the HOV lane in Gwinnett. The High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lane will open from Chamblee Tucker Road in DeKalb County, just south of I-285, to Old Peachtree Road in Gwinnett County. In addition to the federal funds, the state is spending about $66 million on the project. The idea of the HOT lane is to provide a choice, not to make money, according to the state.
As congestion rises, the toll price will also rise, always keeping enough drivers out to keep the traffic in that lane flowing. The tolls will only be charged electronically, to drivers who have signed up for an account and a "Peach Pass" transponder. Public transit, motorcycles, alternative fuel vehicles and car pools of three people or more ride free.
Under current estimates, it may cost 90 cents per mile at the most congested times, or about $13 to drive the length of the project. At that price, the worst-case scenario for commuting the entire lane twice every weekday at top congestion would ring up at about $6,500 a year.
Key facts
The HOV lane on a stretch of I-85, mostly in Gwinnett County, will turn into a toll lane, or HOT lane.
High-occupancy toll lanes charge tolls electronically. Overhead sensors ping transponders that drivers place in their windshields.
State officials estimate the toll fee may vary between 10 cents and 90 cents per mile, depending on traffic at the moment. The worse the congestion, the more expensive the toll lane.
Car pools of three people or more, public transit vehicles, motorcycles, emergency vehicles and cars with alternative fuel license plates all ride free.
