VTA Silicon Valley Express Lanes Program

The Silicon Valley Express Lanes program, a network that includes the SR 237, SR 85 and US 101 corridors, will convert existing carpool lanes and add new lanes to provide congestion relief throughout Santa Clara County. 

Solo drivers have an option to use the Express Lanes for a fee. Eligible carpool vehicles and buses will continue to use the Express Lanes (also known as High Occupancy Vehicle or HOV Lanes) free of charge.

Revenue from tolls will be reinvested to maintain and operate roadways and provide other improvements within the corridor.

In March of 2012, VTA began operation of Santa Clara County’s first Express Lanes on the SR 237/I-880 corridor. This section of the Express Lanes network currently serves as many as 10,000 solo drivers per week. Solo drivers in the SR 237 Express Lanes have experienced a time savings of up to 20 minutes. After opening of the Express Lanes on SR 237, travel times in the general purpose lanes have also been reduced by seven minutes.

To use the Express Lanes, solo drivers can open an account with FasTrak. FasTrak electronic toll collection technology debits solo drivers’ accounts as they enter the Express Lanes. Tolls are based on the level of congestion and are adjusted higher or lower to maintain the flow of traffic.

Congressman Mike Honda:

“The 237 Express Lanes Connector project will provide immediate benefit to all who commute to jobs in northern Santa Clara County, passing through the highly congested 880/237 interchange in Milpitas.  For many years, this has been a major “choke point” in the daily commute.  Having the option to access the express lanes when needed to bypass the congestion could make all the difference in getting you to an important meeting on time, not being charged a late day-care pick up fee, or just starting the day less stressed by your drive to work.”

The Bay Area was introduced to express lanes in September 2010, with the opening of a 14-mile stretch of express lanes that runs along southbound Interstate 680, from Highway 84 to Highway 237.  The last 3 miles of the 680 project are in Santa Clara County and VTA participated in that project as well."