PORTSMOUTH — New toll rates are set to take effect at the Downtown and Midtown Tunnels on Jan. 1.
According to Elizabeth River Crossings, the toll rate change is per the Comprehensive Agreement between Elizabeth River Crossings OpCo, LLC (ERC) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
The tolls help pay for the continued finance, operations, and maintenance of the Downtown and Midtown Tunnels, the MLK Expressway, and approximately 51 lane miles of roadway, according to ERC. Toll revenues also help repay the $2.1 billion debt from structural improvements and rehabilitation completed by ERC in 2017, including the construction of the new Midtown Tunnel westbound.
Off-peak rates apply on weekends and the following holidays:
New Year’s Day | Memorial Day | Juneteenth | July 4th | Labor Day | Thanksgiving Day | Christmas Day
Elizabeth River Crossings notes there are several ways to save on tolls:
- Enroll in the Toll Relief Program
- Through the current program, all Hampton Roads* residents who earn less than $65,000 per year can save 50% on up to 14 trips per week through the Downtown and Midtown Tunnels.
- Participants must enroll in-person at the E-ZPass Customer Service Centers in Portsmouth or Norfolk, or the DriveERT Customer Care Center on County St. in Portsmouth. Proof of residency and income is required. Learn more at VDOTTollRelief.com.
- In 2024 ERC contributed more than $3.4 million to the program. In 2025 ERC will contribute more than $3.5 million. That contribution will increase 3.5% each year through 2036.
*Participants must provide proof of residency in Chesapeake, Gloucester County, Hampton, Isle of Wight County, James City County, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, York County, Franklin, Surry County or Southampton.
- Save with E-ZPass or Toll Payment Apps*
Learn more at PayTheLowestTolls.com.
