What are the HOV/Express Lanes?

High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV)/Express Lanes can be used by vehicles with more than one passenger, or single occupant vehicles, if they pay a toll. As the HOV lanes have excess space, there is still room for additional vehicles without any travel time impacts to carpoolers to use these lanes without paying a toll.

How much is the toll?

Prices vary from $0.50 to $5.00 for the toll lanes depending upon the time of day. Electronic and other static signs clearly display the current toll price prior to entrance points. A complete toll schedule is available at CDOT web site.

How do I pay a toll?

All tolls are collected by electronic toll collection. This means no stopping; no tollbooth congestion; and no change is needed. Simply drive under the electronic toll reader and the toll is deducted automatically from an active EXpressToll account. To create an account and obtain a transponder or new sticker tag, visit expresstoll.com or call 303.537.3470.

What happens if I get caught using the lanes without a transponder or new sticker tag?

For those vehicles without an EXpressToll transponder or new sticker tag, cameras will photograph the front and rear license plates and a bill will be sent one month later to the registered owner of the vehicle, for all the tolls incurred during that period. Those who do not have an EXpressToll transponder that use the lane marked Toll will be charged a surcharge, in addition to the established toll, of about 25 percent or more.

The US 36 corridor is intended to provide travelers with choices on how to get to where they need to go. One of the major components of the US 36 Express Lanes Project is the bikeway.

The bikeway will:

• Include 12-foot-wide lanes with 2-foot-wide shoulders and 6-inch thick concrete for a comfortable ride and to ensure the path's longevity.
• Run on the south side of US 36 from the existing underpass at 80th Avenue in Westminster to west Flatiron Crossing Circle, where it will cross under US 36 and connect to Tape Drive near 88th Street in Louisville/Superior.
• Be constructed in phases throughout the corridor with the entire bike path opening in January 2015.
• Provide a safe way to travel through the US 36 corridor.
• Have signage along the path to direct users to bikeway route and alert them of any narrower sections.
• Link to the existing bike paths and trails within the corridor to provide a continuous bikeway.
• Improve the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad crossing near 112th Avenue.

Project Boundaries

80th Avenue in Westminster to 88th Street in Louisville/Superior

The US 36 Express Lanes Project will build an express lane in each direction that will be used for RTD's Bus Rapid Transit system, in addition to High Occupancy and Single Occupancy vehicles.

The US 36 corridor maintains the highest bus ridership in the Regional Transportation District's (RTD) eight-county district, with numbers growing more than 80 percent in the past 12 years. Nearly 17 percent of business and employment in the region is derived from the US 36 corridor, a number that is expected to increase to 53 percent by 2035. Currently, there are more than 10 Regional routes and many more local routes that serve residents along US 36.

For bus information and schedules, click here