Some rush hour drivers will soon pay more for the pleasure of using I-85's HOT lanes.
The State Road and Tollway Authority announced Monday that toll rates for "various segments" of the express lanes—which run 16 miles from northern Gwinnett County into DeKalb—will increase Aug. 22. The increases will only be in effect from 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. each day.
Specifics about the fare changes were not released, but SRTA said they are aimed at lessening HOT lane congestion during rush hour and providing "a more reliable and predictable commute for Peach Pass Customers."
"Peach Pass customers may notice an increase in the toll amounts charged for shorter distances in the Express Lanes," officials said in an emailed news release.
In April, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that HOT lane usage had jumped by nearly 20 percent in 2015. Officials broke ground earlier this month on a $178 million project to extend the existing HOT lanes 10 miles north, from Old Peachtree Road to Hamilton Mill Road.
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