Hot Lanes in the U.S.

With congestion pricing, tolls typically vary by time of day, where the price generally corresponds with the level of demand; the greater the demand, the higher the toll. Tolls are collected using electronic toll collection technology that does not require the vehicle to stop and pay a toll.

There are four main types of pricing strategies: variably priced lanes, including variable tolls on separated lanes within a highway, such as Express Toll Lanes or HOT lanes; variable tolls on entire roadways; cordon charges that are either variable or fixed charges imposed on drivers while traveling within or into a designated city area; and per-mile charges on all roads within an area ("area-wide charges") that may vary by level of congestion.

The ExpressLanes Demonstration Project will use congestion pricing on HOT lanes on I-10 (I-605 to Alameda St.) and I-110 (Adams Blvd. to Artesia Transit Center) in Los Angeles County.

Since 1995, six states, including Minnesota, California, Texas, Colorado, Utah and Florida, have implemented High-Occupancy-Toll (HOT) lanes to help ease congestion. HOT lanes in the U.S. include:

U.S. locations where HOT Lanes are in development:

Atlanta, GA – I-75 and I-575
Austin, TX – Loop 1
Dallas, TX – I-30 and I-635
Fort Lauderdale, FL – I-595
Northern Virginia – I-95 and I-395
Oakland, CA – I-680
Portland, OR – Highway 217
Raleigh, NC – I-40
Santa Cruz, CA – Highway 1
Washington, DC – I-95, I-395, and I-495