Drive from MD without ez pass? (credit card, live in, law)

[tr2163]

Hi, this might be a stupid question, but I am really confused.

I live in MD and am still new to the NOVA area. If I take the i495 from MD to VA, somewhere near the airport, all of a sudden all the lanes are required of an EZ pass, which I dont have, and there is no way out. Shall I get off the freeway somewhere before the ez pass gate and look for cash payment then get back on to 495?

Thanks!

[HokieFan]

There are only certain lanes on the Beltway that require an EZ-Pass. Those are the express lanes. Not all lanes require an EZ-Pass so you most certainly can drive on the Beltway without a pass.

The express lanes are marked with signs so you can easily avoid driving in those lanes. If you do accidently get in the express lanes, just get off at the nearest exit and expect to get a fine in the mail.

[tr2163]

Originally Posted by HokieFan

There are only certain lanes on the Beltway that require an EZ-Pass. Those are the express lanes. Not all lanes require an EZ-Pass so you most certainly can drive on the Beltway without a pass.

The express lanes are marked with signs so you can easily avoid driving in those lanes. If you do accidently get in the express lanes, just get off at the nearest exit and expect to get a fine in the mail.

Shall I keep on the right lane before to avoid getting into the express lane? Once I pass the airport, there seems to be no way I could get out of the express.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by tr2163

Shall I keep on the right lane before to avoid getting into the express lane? Once I pass the airport, there seems to be no way I could get out of the express.

There is no airport directly along the Beltway. Are you talking about where the Dulles Toll Road ends and the Greenway starts right past the Dulles airport? (This isn't the Beltway anymore).

Where are you trying to go?

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by tr2163

Hi, this might be a stupid question, but I am really confused.

I live in MD and am still new to the NOVA area. If I take the i495 from MD to VA, somewhere near the airport, all of a sudden all the lanes are required of an EZ pass, which I dont have, and there is no way out. Shall I get off the freeway somewhere before the ez pass gate and look for cash payment then get back on to 495?

Thanks!

If it's the Dulles Toll Road the cash lanes are to the right. If you go through wrongly, you can call them up and pay the toll over the phone with a credit card. Also, when taking the exit from 495 to the Toll Rd. The Airport access road (FREE) is all the way to the left and exits before you get to the toll gates. That road is for the airport only. There are no other exits until you get there.

[kiplingif]

Are there times of day where all lanes of any of the highways around are all HOV?

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by kiplingif

Are there times of day where all lanes of any of the highways around are all HOV?

66, inside the Beltway is HOV only heading east in the morning (6:30 - 9, I think), and west in the afternoon (4 - 6:30, i think).

[kiplingif]

Cool, thanks. Someone at work the other day said they thought it was against the law to do something like that and not have an option for a single commuter. But I figured that sort of defeated the purpose of HOV lanes, haha.

Now if someone can just explain the difference between the inner loop and outer loop of the Beltway, I will consider myself sufficiently knowledgeable on area roads to get by for the foreseeable future.

[Grsz11]

Originally Posted by kiplingif

Cool, thanks. Someone at work the other day said they thought it was against the law to do something like that and not have an option for a single commuter. But I figured that sort of defeated the purpose of HOV lanes, haha.

Now if someone can just explain the difference between the inner loop and outer loop of the Beltway, I will consider myself sufficiently knowledgeable on area roads to get by for the foreseeable future.

Inner loop goes clockwise. Outer loop is counter.

[kiplingif]

Ha. I am an idiot. Thanks.