Below, we have provided answers to some of our most frequently asked questions, which are grouped by category to make your search easier. If you do not find the answer you need, feel free to reach out to us at 1-833-643-2867.
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Value In Every Trip | About the 66 Express Outside the Beltway | Express Lanes vs. General-Purpose Lanes | Who and What Can Take the Express Lanes? | Traveling the Express Lanes | 66 Express Outside the Beltway Tolling | Paying Tolls With E-ZPass | Missed Tolls and Invoices | Multi-Modal Transportation Infrastructure | Timeline and Overview of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project
Drivers enjoy predictable, reliable trips along the I-66 corridor between I-495 and Route 29 in Gainesville any day, any time. Consistent speeds on the express lanes mean reliable travel times. The 66 Express Outside the Beltway unlocks the I-66 corridor from time-killing congestion and opens the door to predictable commutes and getting where you want to go faster.
All drivers benefit. The 66 Express Outside the Beltway provides a reliable travel choice for commuters and keeps goods, and services moving more efficiently. Additionally, certain vehicles like school buses, emergency services, and mass-transit buses can utilize the 66 Express Outside the Beltway free of charge.
By adding more capacity to the I-66 corridor west of I-495, the two express lanes in each direction help reduce congestion on the three concurrent general-purpose lanes.
I-66 Express Mobility Partners allows certain vehicles to be added to our toll-exempt list. The criteria for adding these vehicles are:
Vehicles must be registered to one of the listed entities or organizations:
The organization or entity to which the vehicle is registered must provide a written request for the exemption. Provide a point of contact for your organization or entity, including first name, last name, email address, and phone number.
I-66 Express Mobility Partners will not agree to subsidize transportation to and from work while in a government vehicle. Emergency vehicles will only be exempt when responding to an active emergency.
If you believe your organization meets the requirements for our exempt list, please fill out the requested template and return it to us as soon as possible. Our management team will review the submitted list and advise if an exemption has been granted.
Thanks to pre-construction input from Northern Virginia’s business community, the 66 Express Outside the Beltway has been built to handle heavier vehicle/truck traffic. Businesses and industries using the express lanes include Freight & Warehousing, Distribution Centers, Moving & Relocation Services, Electrical & Plumbing Contractors, Home Repair & Maintenance, Food Service Distributors, Couriers, and Local Deliveries.
The 66 Express Outside the Beltway corridor provides predictable, reliable trips to the region’s major population and business centers, including Manassas, Fairfax, Tysons Corner, Falls Church, Arlington, and Washington, D.C.
The lanes also provide reliable access for drivers heading to major transportation hubs, including Reagan National Airport (DCA) to the east and Dulles International Airport (IAD) to the north, as well as the Virginia Inland Port to the west.
The 66 Express Outside the Beltway. On this website, we may refer to the 66 Express Outside the Beltway as “the express lanes” or “the lanes,” but the word “lanes” is not part of the facility’s official name.
The 66 Express Outside the Beltway consists of the two dynamic-toll express lanes on I-66 between I-495 (the Capital Beltway) and the lanes’ western terminus, located between Exit 43 (Rt. 29 in Gainesville) and Exit 40 (Rt. 15 in Haymarket).
22.5 miles in each direction (eastbound and westbound) between the Capital Beltway (I-495) and US 29 in Gainesville.
The eastern terminus of the 66 Express Outside the Beltway is the I-66/I-495 interchange. Just east of the I-495 interchange, our facility ends and the I-66 Inside the Beltway Express Lanes begin.
The 66 Express Outside the Beltway and the I-66 Inside the Beltway Express Lanes are separate facilities with different operators and different tolling systems. The I-66 Inside the Beltway Express Lanes are operated exclusively by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) during weekday peak-travel periods, with no private entity involved. Unlike the 66 Express Outside the Beltway facility, there is no non-tolled travel option during weekday peak-travel periods on the I-66 Inside the Beltway Express Lanes. Whereas, the 66 Express Outside the Beltway is a valuable, reliable travel option for drivers, who have a choice to take either the express lanes or remain on the general-purpose lanes.
For questions about the I-66 Inside the Beltway Express Lanes, visit VDOT’s website at www.66expresslanes.org/toll_questions or call VDOT at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (1-800-367-7623).
The 66 Express Outside the Beltway is an integral part of the Transform 66 project, a joint project of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Virginia Department of Rail & Public Transportation (VDRPT). The Transform 66 initiative includes infrastructure improvements along I-66 both inside and outside of I-495 (the Capital Beltway).
The goal of the Transform 66 project is to transform Northern Virginia’s I-66 – which sees a daily average upwards of 200,000 trips – into a multi-modal corridor that moves people, goods, and services more quickly and reliably through Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William counties and surrounding areas.
There are several essential differences:
Flexible traffic-delineator posts are positioned at regular 10-foot intervals to separate the two travel options on I-66 west of the Capital Beltway. The two express lanes are to the left of the posts in the direction of travel; the three general-purpose lanes are to the right of the posts.
All lanes on I-66 between Gainesville and I-495 – both the express and general-purpose – have been constructed to ensure a smooth ride for a wide range of vehicle types.
A wide range of vehicle types may use the 66 Express Outside the Beltway. Permitted vehicles include motorcycles, passenger cars/trucks/vans/SUVs, extended sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), minivans, work vans, moving/relocation vans, heavy-duty pickup trucks, recreational vehicles (RVs), commercial vehicles (contractor vans, work vehicles, freight trucks, logistics carriers, over-the-road haulers, semi-trucks (18-wheelers), etc.) and buses (mass transit, tourist, and school buses).
The 66 Express Outside the Beltway is pleased to welcome freight trucks, over-the-road haulers, and other large commercial vehicles. These vehicles were permitted by VDOT after input from the private sector prior to construction of the 66 Express Outside the Beltway. See our online Vehicle Classification chart to determine which class your vehicle is in.
No. Minivans, light-duty and standard pickup trucks, standard SUVs, and passenger cars pay the rate posted on overhead signage with no additional toll factor. Vehicles taller than seven (7) feet and longer than eighteen (18) feet pay an additional toll factor which varies based on the size of the vehicle. Motorcycles ride the 66 Express Outside the Beltway for free. Please see the full Vehicle Classification table for more details.
Only two-axle vehicles pulling one or more trailers and double-trailer semi-trucks are not allowed to enter the 66 Express Outside the Beltway.
Yes.
No. The lanes are a valuable option for any driver who needs to save time with a more predictable, more reliable trip along the I-66 corridor. Drivers are encouraged to plan their trip online to determine the combination of express travel and general-purpose travel that fits their needs.
The posted speed limit is 70 miles per hour for all vehicle types.
Accidents happen. When an accident occurs which blocks one or both lanes of the 66 Express Outside the Beltway, our Incident Response team, along with local and state police authorities, will arrive on the scene to safely guide traffic around the incident while removing the hazard.
We’re here to help. Drivers who run out of gas or whose vehicle breaks down are requested to move their vehicle safely to the far-left shoulder, if possible, and call #77 to reach Virginia State Police. Police will connect with a member of our incident response team, and a 66 Express Outside the Beltway-branded incident response vehicle will arrive to assist. Virginia State Police may also respond to the stopped vehicle, depending on the nature of the emergency.
Emergency vehicles in pursuit of an emergency situation may take the 66 Express Outside the Beltway for free at all times, with unimpeded access.
In the event of a state emergency declared by the Governor, or a national emergency declared by the President, the 66 Express Outside the Beltway will be open at full capacity to allow residents to expeditiously vacate the area. In such a circumstance, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) may elect to temporarily suspend tolls.
Yes. The two express lanes are tolled, while the three general-purpose lanes are not. Tolling on the express lanes is segmented and dynamic, varying with real-time traffic conditions and demand.
See more about tolling procedures in our 60-second YouTube video, “66 Express Dynamic Tolling.
Dynamic tolling is a system of real-time toll-rate variation designed to manage the flow of traffic and maintain highway speeds at all times, regardless of conditions. By varying toll rates to manage traffic, the 66 Express Outside the Beltway offers drivers a more predictable, more reliable travel experience.
See more about tolling procedures in our 60-second YouTube video, “66 Express Dynamic Tolling.”
Because of Northern Virginia’s rapidly changing traffic conditions, tolls on the 66 Express Outside the Beltway vary in order to keep traffic moving at all times. Such a dynamic-toll system provides drivers with the most accurate rates possible, giving them the information needed to decide whether to take the express lanes or the general-purpose lanes.
See more about tolling procedures in our 60-second YouTube video, “66 Express Dynamic Tolling.”
Yes. There are three toll segments eastbound (beginning near University Blvd., Stringfellow Rd., and Rt. 123) and four toll segments westbound (beginning near I-495, Rt. 50, Rt. 28, and Sudley Rd.). Each segment contains multiple exits. One toll rate provides access to all the exits within a segment. About a mile prior to the start of a toll segment, electronic signage displays the current rate for entering that segment.
See more about tolling procedures in our 60-second YouTube video, “66 Express Dynamic Tolling.”
Tolling by segment provides drivers with the most accurate, up-to-date toll rates which reflect current travel and traffic conditions. See more about tolling procedures in our 60-second YouTube video, “66 Express Dynamic Tolling.”
Once a driver enters a toll segment, their toll rate is locked in at the amount it was when they entered – even if the segment’s rate changes while the driver is driving through it. So the toll you pay is the toll that was displayed on electronic signage when you entered the segment.
By adding up the tolls for each segment entered. Well in advance of the start of a segment, electronic signage indicates the exits along that segment and the current toll-rate for any of the exits in that segment. Drivers are charged only for the segment(s) driven prior to exiting the express lanes.
See more about tolling procedures in our 60-second YouTube video, “66 Express Dynamic Tolling.”
Drivers are encouraged to use the online Plan Your Trip tool for an up-to-the-minute estimate on current toll rates from a specified entrance to a specified exit.
Because the corridor is very long (22.5 miles) and traffic volumes can change very quickly. For example, congestion at the interchanges with Route 50, Route 123, or I-495 may significantly increase after a driver enters the express lanes in Gainesville. For this reason the segmented tolling system is used as opposed to an end-to-end toll rate, which would not as accurately reflect conditions in another segment by the time a driver gets there.
See more about tolling procedures in our 60-second YouTube video, “66 Express Dynamic Tolling.”
The 66 Express Outside the Beltway employs a cashless electronic tolling system facilitated by E-ZPass. The simplest and fastest way to pay tolls is with an E-ZPass transponder that is:
The E-ZPass transponder is scanned by sensors as drivers pass through toll gantries along the 66 Express Outside the Beltway.
If drivers don’t have an E-ZPass transponder, or their E-ZPass account lacks sufficient funds, they’ll have five (5) days from the time of the missed toll to pay the toll before an invoice is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle and administrative fees begin to accrue. To pay a missed toll:
Not at the time of the trip. Drivers can pay cash for a missed toll at Walmart stores in Fairfax and Prince William counties.
Contact E-ZPass of Virginia at 1-877-762-7824 or www.EZPassVA.com.
Yes, if your transponder is from a system that participates in the E-ZPass Interoperability Group, The 66 Express Outside the Beltway uses technology that recognizes and accepts transponders from fellow member agencies. For more information on participating agencies, visit the E-ZPass Group website at https://www.e-zpassiag.com/component/content/article/31-about-e-zpass/map/116-get-e-zpass.
While an E-ZPass account is not required, it is highly encouraged to pay tolls at the time of the trip to avoid missing any toll charges and potentially incurring additional fees. If you do not have an E-ZPass transponder and use the toll lanes, you will always be deemed as “missing tolls.”
If you’d prefer to forego an E-ZPass account, we offer an opportunity to pay during a five-day timeframe called Missed-A-Toll. Paying your tolls during the five-day Missed-A-Toll timeframe allows you to remit payment prior to an invoice being generated and any administration fees being added.
You can take care of a missed toll payment by visiting www.Ride66Express.com and clicking Pay Tolls, then completing the short form under Pay Missed-A-Toll.
The Virginia Department of Transportation defines a missed toll as any toll that has been charged to a vehicle, but is unpaid at the time of the trip.
If you ride the 66 Express Outside the Beltway without an E-ZPass transponder or without sufficient funds in your E-ZPass account to pay the toll, an image of your vehicle’s license plate will be automatically captured and recorded by our camera equipment.
If the toll has not been paid within five (5) days of the missed toll, an invoice for the toll (plus any applicable administrative fees) will be generated and mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle which missed the toll.
If you know you missed a toll, it’s best to resolve the outstanding toll balance as soon as possible. You may pay online within five (5) days of the trip at https://ride66expresscp.powerappsportals.com/make-a-payment or by clicking the Pay Tolls button on the main page of www.Ride66Express.com. Under “Pay a Missed Toll,” enter your license plate number and the date of the trip, and click Submit.
Don’t see your toll violation come up? Just click Yes under “Get an Email Notification” and enter your email address to be notified via email within five (5) days.
In the event that you missed a toll and are registered for email notifications but aren’t notified within five (5) days, please contact our Customer Service Center at 1-833-643-2867 or I66CustomerService@I66EMP.com.
The invoice’s letterhead will feature the 66 Express Outside the Beltway logo and will direct drivers to use the www.Ride66Express.com website. Our letterhead, logo, and website are distinct from those of other managed-toll roadways, such as the I-66 Inside the Beltway Express Lanes.
Not sure who sent that invoice? See examples of invoices from toll facilities across Virginia at https://www.tollroadsinvirginia.com/MissedToll/PayAViolationNotice.
If you receive a mailed invoice for a missed toll on the 66 Express Outside the Beltway, you have several choices to pay it.
Administrative fees for missed tolls accrue with time.
It takes time and effort to locate and contact drivers about missed tolls. These costs are covered by administrative fees. Costs increase as time goes on and multiple invoices are sent, so administrative fees increase accordingly.
After ninety (90) days, the outstanding balance may be assigned to a debt-collection agency. Drivers whose toll invoices are in collections must work directly with that agency to satisfy the missed toll.
By law, no. Administrative fees for toll-collection purposes are stipulated by Virginia code and enforced by Virginia judges.
The invoice will state the due date for the payment.
If you don’t agree with the outcome of a dispute about a missed-toll violation or mailed invoice, you have the option to contact our Customer Service Center at 1-833-643-2867 to address your concern.
Call our Customer Service Center at 1-833-643-2867, send an email message to I66CustomerService@I66EMP.com, submit your inquiry at https://ride66expresscp.powerappsportals.com/contact, or visit our Customer Service Center at 7450 Century Park Drive in Manassas, near the Balls Ford Road park-and-ride lot.
Administrative fees continue to increase, up to and including civil penalties and court fees as allowed by Virginia law. After ninety (90) days, the outstanding balance may be assigned to a debt-collection agency. After 180 days, you may receive a civil summons to appear in Virginia traffic court.
I-66 Express Mobility Partners, operators of the 66 Express Outside the Beltway, fully funded the project through private investment. The project offers true multi-modality in transportation by focusing on moving more people, goods, and services along the I-66 corridor – not just vehicles. Those multi-modal features funded by I-66 EMP’s private investment include:
After a competitive bidding process in 2016, the Commonwealth of Virginia awarded I-66 Express Mobility Partners (I-66 EMP) a 50-year public/private partnership (P3) contract to finance, design, build, operate, and maintain the 66 Express Outside the Beltway project. Preliminary work began in December 2017, with construction fully ramping up in the spring of 2018.
Transforming I-66 outside the Beltway required the construction of 63 bridges (including 13 at the Rt. 28 interchange and 11 at the I-495 interchange), 12 rebuilt or modified interchanges, full reconstruction of the general-purpose lanes, construction of four new express lanes, two new park-and-ride lots with expanded bus facilities and more than 4,000 commuter spaces, and 11 miles of new shared-use path connecting to current trails in Prince William and Fairfax counties.
During peak construction, more than 2,000 average daily workers were on the project site. I-66 EMP developed partnerships with numerous local vendors to construct the 66 Express Outside the Beltway.
After an early opening of the western segment on Sept. 10, 2022 (two and a half months ahead of schedule), the entire 22.5 miles of express lanes commenced full operation ahead of schedule on Nov. 22, 2022.
The official opening ceremony was held Nov. 29, 2022, at Fairfax Corner, and attended by approximately 400 dignitaries, elected officials, interested citizens, and employees of the lanes’ operator I-66 EMP and the lanes’ design/build contractor FAM Construction.
