Deadline extended for eligible drivers to apply for toll relief program at Downtown, Midtown tunnels

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Time is running out for lower-income residents of Norfolk and Portsmouth to apply for the expanded toll relief program with Elizabeth River Crossings. Officials have extended the deadline to February 19.

Commuters who make less than $30,000 a year and who make five round trips to and from work each week will get a 50% discount, saving them up to about $650 per year, officials say.

The enrollment period began December 1 and will close on February 19, 2022. Toll reimbursements will begin on March 1, 2022. Officials say current participants in the toll relief program must re-enroll to receive 2022 benefits.

Former Gov. Ralph Northam and other officials made the announcement on November 15 in Portsmouth.

“This is a start. We know that we have more work to do,” Northam said about trying to expand relief to even more people going forward. The relief program was first started in 2016.

About 4,300 people will be eligible for the funding, up by more than double current levels.

Tolls for both tunnels were also raised on January 1 of this year. At the time, officials said the increase is part of the ongoing agreement between Elizabeth River Crossings OpCo, LLC (ERC) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

Those driving passenger vehicles with an E-ZPass saw an increase of 9¢ during normal hours, as well as a 17¢ increase during peak times. Those driving heavy vehicles with an E-ZPass saw a 26¢ increase during normal hours and a 69¢ increase during peak times.

Drivers who pay by plate, meanwhile, pay an average of 31¢ more for passenger vehicles and 66¢ more for heavy vehicles.

Those increases were actually the first in two years. Tolls were not increased at the start of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tolls previously went up from $2.20 to $2.33 for passenger vehicles during peak hours in 2020.