I-880 Express Lanes open Friday

The Interstate 880 Express Lanes in Alameda County will begin operations at 5 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 2,  the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has announced.

When operations start the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), will adjust the tolling rules for its existing State Route 237 Express Lanes to match those for the I-880 Express Lanes. These rules include:

• All vehicles must have a FasTrak® toll tag to use the Express Lanes;
• Three-person carpools, buses, vanpools and motorcycles travel toll-free with a FasTrak Flex toll tag set to the 3+ position;
• Two-person carpools with a FasTrak Flex toll tag set to the 2+ position pay half-price tolls;
• Solo drivers of eligible clean-air vehicles (CAVs) and two-person carpools in clean-air vehicles pay half-price tolls with a FasTrak CAV toll tag. Eligible CAVs are those with red, purple or orange decals; and
• Other solo drivers pay the full toll to use the Express Lanes with either a standard FasTrak toll tag or a FasTrak Flex tag set to the 1 position.

Operating hours for Express Lanes are weekdays from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tolls rise as traffic increases and decline as traffic falls. Signs over the roadway indicate toll rates for various destinations. Customer always pay the toll displayed when they enter the Express Lane, even if toll rates change during their trip. Toll-paying customers pay for each toll zone they enter. There are six toll zones along southbound I-880 from Hegenberger Road in Oakland to Dixon Landing Road near the Fremont/Milpitas border and five toll zones along northbound I-880 from Dixon Landing Road to Lewelling Blvd. in San Lorenzo.

Travelers can visit 511.org to learn everything they need to know to use the I-880 and State Route 237 Express Lanes, as well as to view a series of easy-to-watch videos explaining all aspects of the I-880 Express Lanes.