The HREL Chesapeake Segment spans approximately 14 miles along I-64, from just east of the I-264/I-664 Bowers Hill interchange, across the High Rise Bridge and up to the I-264 interchange in Norfolk. As part of the I-64 Southside Widening and High Rise Bridge Project, from the Bowers Hill interchange to Battlefield Boulevard, the interstate has been widened to add one Express Lane alongside the two general purpose lanes in each direction. Between the I-464 interchange and I-264 interchange in Norfolk, each of the existing HOV lanes was converted into one Express Lane in each direction, and new overhead sign structures were installed along the corridor.
High Occupancy Tolling began March 17:
The Chesapeake Express Lanes operate as high-occupancy tolling operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, requiring all vehicles to have a funded and properly mounted E-ZPass transponder to use the Express Lanes.
Solo drivers will now be able to choose to use the Express Lanes by paying the variable toll using a standard E-ZPass or E-ZPass Flex transponder. Vehicles with only two passengers may use the Express Lanes for free with an E-ZPass Flex transponder switched to "HOV-ON" mode.
As warmer temperatures permit, the remaining white posts will be installed in this western section of the Chesapeake Segment starting in the spring. In the meantime, drivers must stay within the Express Lanes until they reach the designated entrance and exit points indicated by the transition of pavement markings from double white lines to single dashed lines. As a reminder, regardless of whether the white posts are present or not in a section, it is against the law for vehicles to cross double white lines and is subject to police enforcement.
Navigating the Chesapeake Express Lanes Segment:
Motorists have multiple access and exit points for drivers to navigate in and out of the Chesapeake Express Lanes at the following locations:
Traveling I-64 east from Virginia Beach to Suffolk, motorists can:
Traveling I-64 west from Suffolk to Virginia Beach, motorists can:
Dynamic Tolling:
Tolling in the Express Lanes is dynamically priced according to current traffic conditions and adjusts approximately every 5 minutes, helping to manage congestion and improve travel time in both the general purpose and Express Lanes.
The toll system adjusts prices in response to congestion levels within the Express Lanes. When congestion rises in these lanes, toll prices increase to reduce the number of vehicles in the Express Lanes, aiming to manage traffic flow and maintain travel time reliability. In contrast, decreased traffic volume in the Express Lanes leads to reduced toll prices, promoting smoother traffic flow and encouraging usage of the lanes. Controlling congestion in the Express Lanes in this manner allows for more reliable speed and travel times.
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