PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Tolls at the Downtown and Midtown Tunnels will increase January 1, 2019, according to a release by DriveERT.
Prices for passenger and heavy vehicles will slide based on peak hours, and are reduced for E-ZPass users.
The new prices will be:
Passenger vehicles (two axles, includes motorcycles)
Monday-Friday non-peak times (midnight to 5:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m. to midnight)
- E-ZPass: $1.79
- Registered pay by plate: $3.57
- Unregistered pay by plate: $5.35
Monday-Friday peak times (5:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
- E-ZPass: $2.20
- Registered pay by plate: $3.98
- Unregistered pay by plate: $5.76
Heavy vehicles (three or more axles, includes cars with trailers)
Monday-Friday non-peak times (midnight to 5:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m. to midnight)
- E-ZPass: $5.36
- Registered pay by plate: $7.14
- Unregistered pay by plate: $8.92
Monday-Friday peak times (5:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
- E-ZPass: $8.80
- Registered pay by plate: $10.58
- Unregistered pay by plate: $12.36
Off-peak rates apply on weekends and holidays.
According to DriveERT, the toll increase is in accordance with an agreement between Elizabeth River Crossings OpCo, LLC and the Virginia Department of Transportation.
"As always we always hate to hear that the prices are going up, but we understand there's maintenance involved," said Virginia Beach resident David Leadbetter. "The ERT seems to be a company that makes a lot of profit off the tolls."
DriveERT said that drivers with an EZ-Pass will save money -- and Leadbetter agrees.
"Almost everyone I know has EZ-Pass," he said. "It's the smart way to do things around here with all the tolls and tunnels."
Leadbetter said that he doesn't mind the price increase as long as one thing happens with the collected funds: the bridges and tunnels stay maintained.
