With a road project as significant as the Interstate 66 Express Lanes, having an office open to the public is ideal for those wanting to ask questions to an actual person and discuss future initiatives that impact hundreds of thousands of people in the I-66 corridor.

There is a certain level of complications, too, with the switchable HOV E-ZPass, so an office along I-66 outside the beltway is ideal. Only it’s not open and doesn’t appear to be in operation.

Is it all just for show?

One I-66 E-ZPass Express Lanes driver, identified on Facebook as Lesser Will, showed up at an office on Balls Ford Road near Gainesville to inquire about the rules recently and the pricey tickets that are sent to the so-called violators, and the office was like a ghost town. (insert the echoing HE-LLL-OOOOOO reverberating off the canyon walls here)

“When I got there, I saw no dumpsters or work trucks, which are typically prevalent when you are having work done on a building. In fact, the lobby, which is referenced as being worked in, looks pretty untouched,” states Lesser Will, who also posted photos of a seemingly empty office in the Western Prince William Chatter Facebook Group.

When a driver is initially charged with a toll violation, they are charged the toll plus a $1.80 fee if they pay within five days of the violation. If they pay after five days but less than 35 days, the fee is $12.50. Between 45 and 89 days, the fee goes up to $25; after 90 days, the fee is $100. It gets worse 180 or more days after missed toll (court proceedings): $100 fee + toll + court fees + civil penalties, all set by Virginia law.

In this case, the driver had the “EZ-Pass Flex,” an EZ-Pass with the HOV option. He had it switched off so the toll would be charged, but he got a ticket anyway. In his case, the empty, dark office was a disappointment.

I-66 Mobility Partners operates the office, which spokeswoman Nancy Smith said is temporarily closed to the public while the walk-in customer service center is renovated. That center is the only office near the Balls Ford Rd park-and-ride lot on I-66 in Manassas.

“We look forward to re-opening it as soon as possible,” she said via email. The information is posted at the building’s entrance and on their website, ride66express.com.

On that website, an orange banner at the top states, “66 Express Outside the Beltway Service Center is closed until further notice for walk-in customers due to area improvements/renovations.”

In the meantime, she recommends, “Our Customer Service Team is continuing to meet with customers by appointment, and our agents are answering calls to 1-833-643-2867 within 45 seconds on average. We remain committed to assisting all our customers with their questions and concerns.”

The Taylor family now knows the Interstate 66 Express Lanes in Prince William County better than most drivers in our region. Their baby, Audrey, was born on the side of the toll road while mom, dad, and their three-year-old son were attempting to get to a hospital.

“It was crazy,” said Brandon Taylor, the father who helped with his wife, Joan, as the express lanes traffic whizzed by. “You hear the stories, but you never know someone that went through it.”

It all started about 5:45 on Tuesday morning, January 30, 2024, when Joan could feel the baby stirring. She woke up, woke Brandon, and he went into his pre-rehearsed motions, grabbing the baby bag they had ready and getting their three-year-old son out of bed. “Twenty minutes later, we were on the highway, and it was happening,” Brandon said.

They were on the I-66 express lanes heading east when he pulled over near mile marker 46 at Gainesville and ran around to her door. “As soon as I got over there, I saw crowing, the baby’s head coming out,” he said.

Cars rushed by, and when Prince William County emergency crews and a Virginia State Police officer showed up, “I had the baby in my hands,” he said.

He was grateful there were trained technicians on the scene. “They took over from there,” he said. Brandon’s three-year-old son in the back seat was wide-eyed the whole time, but when the emergency squad arrived, one took care of the youngster, too.

The Virginia State Police Trooper M. Weinholtz was on the scene with the EMT squad.

“Just as the State Trooper pulled up, little Miss Audrey arrived as well,” said Taylor.
Baby Audrey, along with mom and dad, made it safely to the hospital, and all are doing great – especially with Virginia State Police Trooper Teddy watching out for them, the statewide police agency posted to X (formerly Twitter).

When officials at the I-66 E-ZPass Express Lanes learned about the roadside birth, they couldn’t have been happier. The lanes came in handy despite some of the initial pushback they’ve gotten for some expensive tolls.

“Our team takes pride in being able to play a role in ensuring the safety of our community in such unique and unexpected situations,” said Nancy Smith, Corporate Affairs Director at I-66 Express Mobility Partners.

Afterward, the family went by Prince William County Fire Station 22, off Balls Ford Road, to thank the officers involved.

The Virginia Department of Transportation and I-66 Express Mobility Partners opened the final leg of the I-66 E-ZPass Express Lanes “outside the Beltway” on Tuesday, November 2022.

Billed as a timesaver, the 23-mile stretch of toll lanes from Route 29 in Gainesville to the Capital Beltway allows vehicles with three or more occupants to travel the express lanes for free and vehicles with fewer passengers to pay a toll. All drivers need an E-ZPass or E-ZPass Flex to use the lanes.

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“Delegates Joshua Cole, D-Stafford, and Candi King, D-Dumfries have introduced two bills related to tolls in Virginia. Cole’s bill, House Bill 135, was introduced on Jan. 1. It would allow disabled veterans with disabled veteran plates to use HOT lanes on Interstate 95 regardless of how many people are riding in their vehicles,” reports Ryan Nadeau at WRIC-TV.

Fredericksburg area commuters have three more options for the trip up Interstate 95, including launching three new OmniRide Express buses to the Pentagon, Arlington, and the State Department in Washington, D.C.

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Transurban North America: "Roads and Bridges Magazine has announced Transurban’s 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension project among the Top 10 Best Roads of 2023."

"The Extension’s main roadway opened in August 2023, with the project’s full opening tonight at 10 p.m. adding more access points throughout Stafford County to bring the Express Lanes benefit to more Virginians."

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Haymarket Regional Food Pantry: “At a check presentation Nov. 17, I-66 Express Mobility Partners (I-66 EMP), builder and operator of the 66 Express Outside the Beltway, made a donation of $2,000 to the Haymarket Regional Food Pantry (HRFP).”

“The donation, which establishes a new partnership between I-66 EMP and HRFP, will help the local food bank purchase enough fresh milk and eggs to provide its clients with a weeks worth of those nutritious staples this holiday season.”

“I-66 EMP’s contribution to the food bank represents the companys philosophy of serving the wider community as more than a reliable travel option. The company is committed to making an impact on the lives of all Northern Virginia residents, as demonstrated through its donations,
volunteerism, and partnerships with organizations such as the HRFP.”

“The Haymarket Regional Food Pantry is a community based non-profit organization comprised entirely of volunteers dedicated to eliminating hunger by providing food to individuals and families in Haymarket, Gainesville, and the surrounding areas. Visit HaymarketFoodPantry.org to learn more and make a contribution.”

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Germanna Community College: "On Monday, Dec. 4, 2023, Transurban North America, operator of the 95, 395, and 495 Express Lanes, celebrated the imminent completion of the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension with a $250,000 grant to the Virginia Infrastructure Academy at Germanna Community College."

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66 Express Lanes: “As the 66 Express Outside the Beltway marks its first full year of operations today, the project has shown itself to be a game-changer for the Northern Virginia region.”

“Delivered ahead of schedule and within budget despite supply-chain issues, a global pandemic, and historic inflation levels, the privately financed 66 Express Outside the Beltway project has proven to be a boon to Northern Virginia’s economy and workforce.”

“Prior to construction of the 66 Express, it took an average of about 60 minutes to travel eastbound from Gainesville to I-495 during peak hours and about 50 minutes westbound. The additional capacity of the 66 Express has cut those commutes nearly in half on the general-purpose lanes, with the express lanes saving drivers another 10 minutes per trip. The result has been a 36% reduction in peak-hour travel times compared to before construction.”

The toll lanes run from Haymarket in Prince William County to the Capital Beltway. Drivers with three or more occupants and an E-ZPass Flex may ride free. Vehicles with two or fewer occupants may use an E-ZPass to pay to use the lanes.