Drivers face as much as a 17 percent hike in the tolls along Interstate 25 in Denver as well as higher civil penalties for trying to skirt toll rules.
The new toll schedule for I-25 starts March 16. Currently, toll lanes — also known as express lanes — span 7 miles on the interstate between downtown Denver and U.S. 36.
State road officials also have unveiled proposals for tolls along U.S. 36 to Boulder.
The public can comment on the new tolls at a special board meeting of the High Performance Transportation Enterprise at 10 a.m. Tuesday at 4201 E. Arkansas Ave.
“We want to make everyone aware of the new fares and to have an opportunity to come to the board and discuss them,” said Amy Ford, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Transportation.
from 60 cents to 70 cents on the existing express lanes from 5 to 6 a.m. Tolls will go up from $4.45 to $4.65 during peak travel times from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m with an Express Toll pass. Drivers without a pass will be charged $6.98.
When the first phase of the U.S. 36 Express Lanes opens in midsummer, drivers going at peak travel times from Interlocken to Denver with an Express Toll pass will be charged $7.75, but $13.83 without one. Afternoon drivers traveling at peak travel times from Denver to Interlocken will be charged $6.85 with a pass, compared with $12.53.
The enterprise board also will consider hiking the penalty for driving a single-occupant vehicle and trying to pass off as a high-occupancy vehicle from $46 to $250.
