Raleigh Residents have enjoyed free Highways up until 2012. NCDOT announced the opening of the first Toll Road in the Triangle Area. This tollroad is called the Triangle Expressway and it is supposed to improve the traffic flow in the Research Triangle Park Area. The toll will begin on Jan 3, 2012.

Where is this expressway?

There are 2 phases to this expressway project

The first phase will connect the NC 147 and I-40 to NC 540 near Research Triangle Park as well as connecting NC 540 between NC 55 and NC 54, and this piece of highway will be ready for use in Jan 2012.

The second phase, however, will be open later in 2012. This will connect NC 55 near RTP to the NC 55 Bypass south of Holly Springs

How are tolls paid?

1) You can either sign up for an account at www.ncquickpass.com and purchase a ‘transponder’ to stick to your car. Every time the car passes, the transponder will record the charges to your account which you open. Opening an account with the ncquickpass provides you with discounted rate upto 35%.

2) For those who do not use much of this expressway, you can just pay by “Bill by Mail”. That means every time your car passes the toll booth, it will take the picture of your license plate and the owner of that license plate will be subject to the fees which you can pay by mail. The fee for this type is higher because they have to process the fees by mails.

How much are the tolls?

Tolls are based on how far you drive and what kind of vehicle you drive (how many axles). You pay a toll each time you pass through a toll zone on the Triangle Parkway

NC QUICK PASS TOLL RATES BILL BY MAIL RATES

TOLL ZONE LOCATIONS                  2 Axles 3 Axles 4+ Axles 2 Axles 3 Axles 4+ Axles

1 Hopson Road ramps                               $0.30 $0.60 $1.20 $0.45 $0.90 $1.80

2 Triangle Parkway (North) ramps        $0.50 $1.00 $2.00 $0.77 $1.54 $3.08

3 Triangle Parkway (South) ramps        $0.50 $1.00 $2.00 $0.77 $1.54 $3.08

4 NC 540 Mainline@Triangle Parkway* $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00