PORTSMOUTH — Outstanding toll debt will soon be wiped out for roughly 25,000 residents of Portsmouth and Norfolk who use the Midtown and Downtown tunnels.
The Virginia Department of Transportation and Elizabeth River Crossings, which oversees the tunnels connecting Portsmouth and Norfolk, reached a deal to cover many drivers’ outstanding balances and fees owed on toll charges for the tunnels.
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott and Sen. Louise Lucas announced the agreement during a news conference Wednesday in Portsmouth. The lawmakers helped secure $101 million in Virginia’s fiscal budget to use for toll relief efforts, including the elimination of outstanding customer balances and fees.
“If you felt like no one in Richmond was listening, we heard and we did something about it,” Scott said. “We see you. And today we’ve got your back.”
VDOT will pay ERC $36.2 million to cover outstanding balances and fees from 2014 through Dec. 31, 2023, for Portsmouth and Norfolk drivers, according to a letter from VDOT to Scott and Lucas that was obtained by The Virginian-Pilot.
Gianni Snidle, a spokesperson for Scott, said debt removal is automatic and drivers with outstanding fees will not need to take any action. Notifications to drivers could begin as soon as Wednesday. VDOT has already begun redeeming the debt and removing vehicle registration holds this week, according to the letter. The $36.2 million will be paid out across three installments through January 2027.
Lucas and Scott, who are from Portsmouth, have championed their efforts to secure toll relief funding, urging eligible residents to take advantage or risk the ability to push for more in the future. In May, The Pilot reported that only a fraction of the $101 million in toll relief funding has been used, though enrollment is up.
“Talk is cheap, but people want results,” Lucas said. “This will be an ongoing fight because those tolls are exorbitant, and they’re going to continue to increase unless we do something about it.”
The toll relief funding also is being put to use in the form of trip discounts that drivers must register to use.
All Hampton Roads residents earning up to $65,000 annually can get 50% off 14 weekly trips through the tunnels with an E-ZPass transponder. And drivers earning less than $50,000 a year in Portsmouth and Norfolk also can receive 100% off the cost of 14 trips through the tunnels for two-axle passenger vehicles. Drivers must have a registered E-ZPass transponder.
Toll rates increase annually. The current rate for passenger vehicles using E-ZPass is $2.34 during normal hours and $3.23 during peak hours. Without E-ZPass, the rate increases to $7 during normal hours and $7.89 during peak hours.
For heavy vehicles with E-ZPass, the tolls are $7 during normal hours and $12.90 during peak hours. Without E-ZPass, they pay $11.66 during normal hours and $17.56 during peak hours.
How to take advantage of toll relief
There’s no deadline for taking advantage of the toll relief, but residents are encouraged to apply early, which must be done in person at E-ZPass Customer Service Centers in Norfolk or Portsmouth or at the DriveERT Customer Care Center in Portsmouth.
When applying in person, bring proof of residence and income. Residence can be proved from a driver’s license, checking or savings account statement, utility bill, mortgage, rental lease, military documentation confirming city of residence or property tax bill. Proof of income can include Social Security statements, tax forms, one month of pay stubs, notarized employer’s statement or self-declaration of no income.