The new express lane system is being tested on the Powhite today, 10:30-2ish. No word whether any lane closures or delays are expected, but be forewarned…

Starting tomorrow, northbound Powhite’s gonna be a rush-hour parking lot:

Motorists traveling northbound through the Powhite Parkway mainline toll plaza will experience significant morning rush hour delays beginning Tuesday, June 3, as toll lanes are reduced from nine to six lanes. The three-lane closure marks the beginning of the northbound installation of the Open Road Toll (ORT) lanes, also known as express lanes. This traffic situation is expected to last for 90 days.

Let the good times roll!

As of 5:45ish, the entry ramp from eastbound Forest Hill to northbound Powhite was open to traffic again.

…that, despite what you might have heard on the radio or TV news, the new Southbound Powhite express lanes are not yet open. July 21 is the target open date.

No, the ramp isn’t opening earlier. Sorry to get your hopes up. According to the RMA:

• Demolition of part of the current southbound toll plaza starts Friday, 6PM
• The new southbound toll plaza opens Saturday (no time specified)
• Converting the rest of the existing plaza to express toll lanes

Unless it rains, in which case everything gets bumped a week or so. But whenever it happens, expect delays, and try not to think of the toll increases.

Really they do. So on the heels of the Powhite ramp closure, which has made drive-time trips through the interchange area resemble a suburban take on The Road Warrior, the RMA hopes you’ll still love them now that they’re raising tolls. In September, tolls at the Powhite Pkwy and Downtown Expressway main plazas will increase to 70 cents. The RMA has suggested ramp prices will increase, but hasn’t provided any details, nor have they mentioned increases at the Boulevard Bridge.

Gas prices rising, toll plaza increases…too bad I can’t take a GRTC bus to Carytown without going downtown first. But that’s another story…