For truckers (and all other drivers for that matter) tempted to sneak into Colorado’s Interstate 70 mountain express lanes when they’re closed — they’ll soon be captured on camera.
Related: 5 states with toughest chain laws for truckers
Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill into law Tuesday allowing the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and its vendor to use the express lanes’ existing license plate cameras to send automatic fines to drivers caught venturing into them when they’re closed. The narrower-than-normal express lanes were added on I-70’s inside shoulders and typically are open only on weekends and holidays, when mountain traffic is heavier.
According to the legislative analysis of House Bill 1074, 47,828 vehicles were detected in I-70’s eastbound express lane in 2020 during times it was closed.
The law will go into effect Aug. 1, but CDOT spokesman Matt Inzeo said plans call for enforcement to begin later, likely by Nov. 1, according to a report from The Denver Post. Exact fines haven’t been decided. In the coming months, CDOT’s enterprise arm, which oversees the I-70 toll lanes, will set the fine structure within the allowable range of $10 to $250, Inzeo added.
The new law also gives CDOT a tool to enforce vehicle size limitations when express lanes are open because it prohibits the drivers of motor vehicles with more than 2 axles, or that are 25 feet long or longer, from using the express lanes at any time.
CDOT has added the managed toll lanes, which charge varying tolls depending on traffic volume, in each direction on a 13-mile stretch between Empire and the Veterans Memorial Tunnels east of Idaho Springs. The eastbound lane began operating in 2015. The westbound lane started a testing phase last summer, and CDOT plans to start charging tolls in late May.
Related: Chaining up: 4 pro tips for truckers
Both are allowed to operate during a limited number of hours and days per year under an agreement with federal regulators because they don’t meet interstate lane standards.
The bill allowing fines during closures passed the House 43-22 and the Senate 27-6, with bipartisan support, but some Republicans opposed the toll lanes.
Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.
You might also like:
Drivers rate best truck stops in America
Keep right! Virginia bill outlines winter storm lane restriction for truckers
Brokerage Compliance Symposium
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
F3 Awards Dinner
The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
F3: Future of Freight Festival
Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowThe night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowIndustry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now