Many of Colorado’s major highways have express lanes aimed at managing the flow of traffic.
All road users can use the express lanes, usually at a fee, to help get to their destinations faster.
Whether you’re traveling to and from Denver on Interstate 25 or up to the mountains on Interstate 70, here’s what to know about Colorado’s express lanes before hitting the road:
Where are Colorado’s express lanes?
Colorado has 10 express lanes:
I-25 from U.S. 36 to E470
I-25 from Mead to Berthoud
I-25 from Berthoud to Fort Collins
I-25 south gap (southbound open 5-11 a.m.; northbound open noon to 3 a.m.)
I-70 mountain (open on weekends and holidays)
Lanes may be closed during certain times of the day, days of the week or for extended periods due to construction.
How much does it cost to drive in an express lane?
Typically there is a toll to drive in express lanes. Tolls are used “to manage congestion and keep travel times reliable for all motorists,” according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Some express lanes use time-of-day pricing, so the toll amount will depend on how much traffic there typically is on that section of the road. The toll prices also vary based on each road. Other express lanes use dynamic pricing, which adjusts the tolls continuously based on real-time traffic conditions.
Signs above the express lanes tell drivers how much the tolls are at that moment.
Some road users can drive in most of the state’s express lanes for free, including:
Vehicles with three or more people in them while using a switchable HOV transponder, which can be purchased online for $18 (or free if you plan to use the pass for carpooling on I-25 or U.S. 36). Using a switchable transponder is the only way to take advantage of the free HOV travel option.
The I-70 mountain and I-70 Floyd Hill express lanes are not free for any road users.
Tolls are still waived on the I-25 express lanes between Berthoud and Fort Collins, but tolling is expected to begin by the end of 2025, CDOT spokesperson Jared Fiel told the Coloradoan.
How do I pay express lane tolls?
There are three ways to pay express lane tolls:
Using a switchable HOV transponder and sliding the tab to “toll” mode when less than three people are in the car or “HOV” mode when three or more people are in the car.
Get an ExpressToll sticker for your vehicle and pay through an online ExpressToll account.
If you don’t have a transponder or sticker, you’ll be billed through Liscense Plate Toll, and the toll rate will be higher. Bills will be sent to the registered owner of the vehicle.
Bills or payment requests are not sent via text, and scammers have recently been sending fraudulent texts pretending to be from tolling agencies.
When can I enter or exit express lanes?
Drivers can only enter or exit express lanes when there is a dashed white line, and there is a penalty for crossing the double solid lines.
Here’s an explanation of the express lane lines:
Double solid lines: Must stay in lane.
Double dashed lines: Traffic can move in and out of the lane.
One dashed, one solid line: If the dashed line is closer to your lane, you are able to make a lane change. If the solid line is closer to your lane, you are prohibited from making a lane change.
Crossing the double solid lines will result in a $75 citation.
Is the express lane a passing lane?
Colorado law says the farthest left lane on highways is considered the passing lane, but that does not apply to express lanes, Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gabriel Moltrer said.
Colorado’s passing lane law says on highways where the speed limit is 65 mph or higher, the farthest left lane of a highway is the passing lane and the right lane (or lanes) is for driving. Express lanes are not considered passing lanes as drivers “are only able to enter and exit toll lanes in designated areas,” Moltrer said.
There is no minumum speed in express lanes, but Moltrer said Colorado’s minimum speed regulations do require drivers travel at a reasonable rate of speed that does not cause traffic to back up.
Coloradoan reporter Miles Blumhardt contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: How to pay tolls: What to know about Colorado’s express lanes