Passes & Canyons Blog

When Colorado opened its first high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes it was easy: if you were on a motorcycle you could use them and you did not have to pay. There was a brief period of confusion when they said even a motorcycle needed a transponder but thanks to the efforts of groups like ABATE of Colorado that requirement was eliminated.

In the meantime, though, there has been a proliferation of roads that are tolled in one way or another and because I was personally so confused over which ones I could ride on a bike I just quit using any of them. I decided it was time to clear up this fog, so that’s what I’ll do as best I can here.

One of the clearest bits of information is found in that image here of a portion of a chart found at https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes/using-the-lanes. Basically, what this is saying is that all of the express lanes on I-25 and the lanes on US 36 to Boulder are free to motorcycles at all times. And they’re also saying that the express lanes on I-70 into the mountains are tolled no matter what vehicle you are in or on. E-470, of course, is a toll road for everyone.

Another good resource is this CDOT page: https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes. On this page, in a section called WHERE EXPRESS LANES ARE, AND WHERE THEY’LL BE, there are links to maps showing you exactly what roads they’re talking about. I mean, heck, do you know what road they mean when they talk about the I-25 South Gap Project? I didn’t.

There is also a downloadable fact sheet here: https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes/assets/motorcycles-express-lanes-fact-sheet.pdf

This is especially good except there seems to be a discrepancy. Here’s the map on the first page of this PDF.

See down there on C-470, where it’s blue. The legend says “ExpressToll account, pass and toll balance required to avoid higher license plate toll charges for motorcycles.” But the chart says C-470 is free for motorcycles. And on this page specifically about C-470 it says “Motorcyclists can use the Express Lanes for free without a pass.”

So I’m a bit confused, although I tend to suspect the map is wrong and you can ride C-470 with no issues. If anyone can confirm or refute this conclusively PLEASE let me know. Thanks.

I hope this clears most of this up for any of you who, like me, was unclear before. I guess I’ll start using the express lanes again.

Biker Quote for Today

All my friends have life goals . . . and I just want to go faster.

Guess what I got in the mail yesterday: That ExpressToll bill in the photo above. The very thing I’ve been talking about here recently.

Funny thing is, though, as far as I knew I had not used any lanes that I should be charged for. So I called the number on the bill and asked WTF? Now it all comes even clearer.

You know that HOV lane going from downtown up north along I-25 and then onto the Boulder Turnpike? The one that you’ve used for many years if you had two or more people in your car or if you were on your motorcycle? It’s not free anymore.

Well, it is free, but only if you have a transponder. Otherwise you get billed through the mail, just as I did.

I don’t know if they have been putting information out about these changes but they sure need to. Maybe there are ads on TV; I wouldn’t know because I don’t watch TV. But I haven’t seen anything in the newspaper, and I haven’t received any information in the mail. Or maybe I did get something in the mail but reading it left me totally unclear on the whole thing–I’m not certain.

Actually, I think sending you the bill is intended to be their primary method of educating the public. When I called, the very helpful woman explained that they are authorized to waive the fee the first time–which she did–and she then explained it all to me in detail.

In the car you get the transponder, which is an electronic device (I guess), that you attach to your windshield at, around, or maybe to your rear view mirror. You have to manually set it to either toll or HOV. Then if it is set to toll and you use any of the HOV lanes or express lanes you get charged. That charge comes off the initial $35 fee you pay when you get the transponder, which is payment in advance. Once you’ve used up the $35 your credit card is automatically billed for the new payment in advance. You also actually pay $15 for the transponder, which is a non-refundable charge. You’re buying it.

If you have two or more in your car, you set the transponder to HOV and use the lanes and that’s that. No charge. Let’s be clear here: if you’re on a toll road, such as E-470, you still pay the tolls. But if you’re in an HOV lane there is no charge.

For motorcycles, the thing is still called a transponder but it’s a different object. It adheres to the top of your headlight. Will I have to buy one for each of my three bikes, I asked? No, for motorcycles they give you the transponder for no charge. And you could not get just one and switch it to the bike you’re on today because each is registered to a specific vehicle, and we absolutely know they have cameras to capture your license number. But if they’re free that doesn’t matter.

Bottom line, however, is that you MUST open an account, give them your credit card number to draw payments from, and attach the transponder to your vehicle. Otherwise you will be charged for using the HOV lane even if you’re on a motorcycle. Of course, this is one of the issues ABATE is trying to work out. Federal law says motorcycles can use HOV lanes at no charge. Does this violate that law? And what about out-of-state riders who use the HOV lane with no idea that they are supposed to have a transponder? Sure, they’ll get their fee waived the first time but what if you come to Colorado for a week and use the HOV lanes numerous times? Maybe there will be some update on this at my ABATE District 10 meeting this Sunday but I won’t be there to hear about it. I’ll have to follow up later.

Biker Quote for Today

Riding my motorcycle around L.A. is like my own video game. But unlike many folks at the wheel, I am occupied with getting where I’m going and keeping myself safe. Most people are applying makeup, texting, and checking out the beauty in the next car. — Hugh Laurie

If you ever question whether some sort of group that stands up for motorcyclists is needed, here’s a situation that should answer that question for you.

Part of the discussion yesterday at my ABATE District 10 meeting was on the rules surrounding use of new express lanes and HOV lanes in the Denver area. ABATE is working with the state to try to work out the fairest, most reasonable way for motorcycles to be part of this structure.

For starters, we ought to keep in mind that under federal law, motorcycles are entitled to use HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes. Thus, if you are going up I-25 from downtown at the right time of day you can use the HOV lane. But how do the new express lanes along US 36 up to Boulder work?

Judy and I drove up to Boulder recently and wondered exactly that. It was not at all clear to us whether, because there were two of us in the car, we could use the new express lanes at no charge or would we get a bill in the mail. (Quick note: by 2017 use of the HOV lanes will require at least three people in your car.) If you’re wondering the same thing, here are links to ExpressToll and the express lanes sites. You may find some answers there.

But there are issues. I’m not totally clear on all this myself so understand that I may be getting some of this wrong, but here’s my understanding. First off, if it’s a toll road, such as E-470, everyone pays a toll. That’s the simple part. But apparently, if you intend to use the express lanes up the Boulder turnpike it is free for cars with two or more people or for motorcycles but only if you first create an account with ExpressToll. This requires a payment of $35 that is intended to be payment in advance for any tolls you do incur. But if you’re on a motorcycle you will never incur any tolls so they will basically just hold your money.

Does that sound a little foolish? ABATE thinks so and is trying to get it changed so motorcycles just simply don’t need any of that. Plus you have the very real issue that if people from elsewhere, whether it be Grand Junction or Ohio, ride through Denver on their motorcycles, they may think it’s OK to use the express/HOV lanes and find themselves receiving bills for having done so. Plus, it may be that they will be billed double because it takes someone human to look at the pictures to determine that it was in fact a motorcycle, and that human element adds to the cost. What? This is where I’m truly unclear on it so take this with a grain of salt.

The point is, apparently if you do not have the little UPC code or whatever taped across the top of your headlight for the cameras to read you will be charged for using the HOV lane despite the fact that you are on a motorcycle. But that would seem to go against federal dictates that motorcycles can use HOV lanes freely. Perhaps you’ll want to be contacting your elected representatives to let them know about this issue and your position on it. Meanwhile, that’s exactly what ABATE is doing.

Biker Quote for Today

Murphy’s Motorcycle Laws: 6. Nothing is harder to start than a used motorcycle being shown to a prospective buyer.