Q: When will the new road be open?
A: The new U.S. Route 301 is projected to open to traffic on January 1, 2019.
Q: Can toll gantries be used for speed and traffic enforcement?
A: No. The toll system may only be used for toll enforcement.
Q: Have the toll rates been set for U.S. Route 301?
A: Yes, a sample* of the toll rates is as follows:
| E-ZPass Toll Rates 2019 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class/Location | 2-axle | 3-axle | 4-axle | 5-axle | 6-Axle |
| DE/MD State Line | $4.00 | $9.00 | $10.00 | $11.00 | $12.00 |
| Levels Rd | $1.00 | $8.00 | $9.00 | $10.00 | $11.00 |
| Summit Br | $0.75 | $8.00 | $9.00 | $10.00 | $11.00 |
| Jamison Corner | $0.50 | $8.00 | $9.00 | $10.00 | $11.00 |
| TOLL BY PLATE Rates 2019 | |||||
| Class/Location | 2-axle | 3-axle | 4-axle | 5-axle | 6-Axle |
| DE/MD State Line | $5.60 | $10.80 | $12.00 | $13.20 | $14.40 |
| Levels Rd | $1.40 | $9.60 | $10.80 | $12.00 | $13.20 |
| Summit Br | $1.05 | $9.60 | $10.80 | $12.00 | $13.20 |
| Jamison Corner | $0.70 | $9.60 | $10.80 | $12.00 | $13.20 |
*Please note that the above rates are samples. To find the actual toll rate for your entry and exit points please use the Toll Calculator.
Q: Can the toll rates change on U.S. Route 301?
A: Yes. The revenue will be reviewed annually to ensure that all bond requirements are being met. If required, the rates may be changed as needed.
Q: What will be the access points for U.S. Route 301?
A: In addition to entering the project at the Delaware/Maryland State Line, there will be three interchanges: Levels Road, Summit Bridge Road and Jamison Corner Road.
Q: Why are there only tolls on the north serving ramps? (i.e. Northbound on-ramps and Southbound off-ramps?
A: The concept of the U.S. Route 301 Tolling is that if a vehicle uses the new U.S. Route 301, it will be tolled once, but only once, per trip. To accomplish this, there is a toll plaza on the mainline just north of the MD State Line, and tolls on the ramps to and from the North. For example, if a 2-axle vehicle with E-ZPass (Note: rates will differ for those using TOLL BY PLATE) gets on US 301 at the Levels Rd Interchange, heads north on the new US 301, and gets off at State Route 1, it will get charged $1.00, but will not be charged any additional toll when it gets off at State Route 1.
Q: Will you be able to get off the New U.S. Route 301 and back on without paying an additional Toll?
A: No.
Q: What if I get on U.S. 301 by mistake; will I still have to pay the toll?
A: There will be adequate signage notifying motorists that U.S. Route 301 is a toll road. However, if you do inadvertently miss the signs and enter the facility, continue to the next exit – do not turn around or back up. This would be illegal and create a safety hazard. You will receive an invoice in the mail or have the toll posted to your E-ZPass account.
Q: How will Tolls be Collected on U.S. Route 301?
A: Tolls will be collected using All Electronic Toll (AET) Collection. There will not be any conventional toll plazas on the new facility. AET collects tolls at highway speed, either by reading an E-ZPass transponder and deducting the toll from a prepaid account or TOLL BY PLATE using photographic images of the vehicle’s license plate and sending an invoice to the registered owner of the vehicle.
Q: Why will cash not be a payment option on U.S. Route 301?
A: All new toll plazas in the US are being constructed without conventional cash toll collection. Cash toll plazas require significantly more pavement and administration buildings, adding to the cost and environmental impact of construction of the new highway. The stop and go traffic at a cash toll plaza increases greenhouse gas emissions. The stop and go traffic also increases traffic delay and reduces traffic safety. The cash collection adds the operational costs of toll collectors and money processing to the Department.
Q: How will Tolls be collected on U.S. Route 301 if I don’t have an E-ZPass?
A: When a motor vehicle passes through a toll collection facility and the toll payment is not made by an electronic transponder, a photographic image of the vehicle's license plate will be captured at the toll zone. The first listed registered owner of that vehicle, as listed in DMV records, will receive an invoice in the mail for the accumulated toll amount of all transactions for trips on the new U.S. Route 301.
Q: Is TOLL BY PLATE available at all Delaware toll facilities?
A: No. The toll violation process at the existing Delaware toll facilities on SR 1 and I-95 will not change. E-ZPass is the recommended payment method at the existing facilities. Cash will still be accepted at these facilities.
Q: Will any tolls from other Delaware toll facilities appear on the TOLL BY PLATE Invoice?
A: No. TOLL BY PLATE will only be offered on U.S. Route 301. As such, only TOLL BY PLATE from U.S. Route 301 will appear on TOLL BY PLATE Invoices. Violations from other toll facilities will be noticed separately. Vehicles passing through a toll plaza on SR 1 or I-95 without a valid E-ZPass who do not stop and pay a toll in cash will receive a Toll Violation Notice.
Q: Is conversion to All Electronic Tolling proposed at the existing Delaware facilities?
A: While there is no immediate plan to convert any toll plazas on SR 1or I-95 to AET, options are being studied by the Department.
Q: Why are TOLL BY PLATE tolls on U.S. Route 301 higher than E-ZPass Tolls?
A: E-ZPass customers pay less than TOLL BY PLATE customers because the E-ZPass Prepaid Toll Program is a more efficient method of collecting tolls. E-ZPass is a completely automated system. With TOLL BY PLATE, DelDOT must review the images for each toll transaction, contact the Division of Motor Vehicles to determine the registered owner, mail an invoice and process payment. The TOLL BY PLATE is higher to offset a portion of these operational costs.
Q: Will I receive any feedback at the toll collection point on U.S. Route 301?
A: No. As in the highway speed toll zones on SR 1 and I-95, feedback will not be provided in the toll zones on U.S. Route 301. Motorists are encouraged to monitor their account status through regular statements and on line. Motorist must keep their account data current, to include current license plates, current credit cards and current address. Motorists must also keep their address current with the Division of Motor Vehicles.
Q: What are the fees imposed for failure to pay a TOLL BY PLATE Invoice?
A: If the registered owner fails to pay a TOLL BY PLATE invoice by the due date on the invoice, each toll transaction becomes a toll violation, pursuant to 21 Del. C. §4127 in connection with DelDOT’s video toll collection system. Failure to pay this invoice may result in the imposition of additional penalties and fees outlined below. These additional fees and penalties will be imposed on each individual toll listed on the invoice that is not paid.
These fees are:
$25 Administrative Fee to support the cost of the violation processing by the Department
$15 fee paid to the Fund to Combat Violent Crimes
$10 fee paid to the State Fire Prevention Commission Volunteer Ambulance Company Fund
If the tolls and violation fees are not paid by the date specified on the Toll Violation Notice, the following are added for each transaction:
$25 Civil Penalty
$12.50 Civil Penalty Surcharge
Further, pursuant to 21 Del. C. § 810, if the tolls and fees are not promptly paid following the application of the Civil Penalty, DelDOT may institute a registration hold on any vehicle connected with this invoice if the tolls are not paid in full. A registration hold marks the vehicle registration for non-renewal until all past due tolls and fees are paid in full.
Q: How will DelDOT support unbanked motorists?
A: Since cash payment will not be accepted at the toll zones on the highway, motorists are encouraged to establish an E-ZPass account as the most convenient and least cost option for paying the toll. Accounts can be established and replenished using cash at the walk-in centers at any DelDOT toll plaza, and the E-ZPass Customer Service Center in Dover.
Important: TOLL BY PLATE Invoices and Toll Violation Notices
Q: What should I do if I receive a TOLL BY PLATE Invoice?
A: To avoid any additional fees, the vehicle owner must pay a TOLL BY PLATE Invoice by the due date shown on the invoice.
Q: What do I do if I receive a Toll Violation Notice for my travel on U.S. Route 301?
A: If a TOLL BY PLATE Invoice is not paid by the due date on the invoice, each transaction will be progressed to a toll violation. Each transaction will be assessed a $25 Administrative Fee, a $10 Ambulance Company Fund Fee, and a $15 fee to Combat Violent Crimes.
A Toll Violation Final Notice is issued if the Toll Violation Notice has not been paid within 30 days. The Toll Violation Final Notice adds a Civil Penalty of $25 and a Civil Penalty Surcharge of $12.50 to each transaction on the Toll Violation Notice in addition to the fees listed on the first Notice of Toll Violation. If the Toll Violation Final Notice is not paid, the registered owner will be subject to registration hold, collection activities or legal action.
Q: Why is it a toll violation to drive through an E-ZPass Lane without an E-ZPass on SR 1 or I-95 and a TOLL BY PLATE transaction on U.S. Route 301?
A: The toll plazas on SR 1 and I-95 offer customers without E-ZPass an option to pay with cash. The regulatory signing and payment process at these locations are not developed for a TOLL BY PLATE payment system. The new system at U.S. Route 301 is being designed and constructed with state-of-the-art equipment and processes to support TOLL BY PLATE collection. A cash option is not offered on U.S. Route 301
Q: If I was not driving the vehicle when the image was taken, why am I responsible for paying the TOLL BY PLATE Invoice or Toll Violation Notice?
A: The registered owner of the vehicle shall be liable for failure of an operator to pay any required toll, or to pay toll on an AET facility, per Section 4129 for the Delaware Code.
Q: How can I sign-up for E-ZPass?
A: Please visit the E-ZPass Signup page for an on-line application, or for the locations of our walk-in centers. You may also call the Delaware E-ZPass Service Center at 1-888-397-2773. You may obtain an E-ZPass On-the-Go at any Delaware toll plaza, at the Delaware House Welcome Center and Rest Stop, at any DMV location and at AAA in Wilmington or Newark.
