The I-395 HOV lanes are set to open as dynamically tolled express lanes on the night of Sunday, Nov. 17, pending weather and on-road crew activities.

For final preparation, the 395 HOV lanes will close the evening of Friday, Nov. 15. With safety as the priority, the Express Lanes team is preparing drivers for the changes.

All ramps that currently lead to the 395 HOV lanes will require an E-ZPass or E-ZPass Flex when the lanes become the 395 Express Lanes. This includes the northbound ramps near S. Eads Street.

The 395 Express Lanes will pick up where the 95 Express Lanes leave off (around Edsall Road) and run up to the 14th Street Bridge in D.C., giving drivers a continuous trip to the D.C. line.

Drivers need to stay alert and give themselves extra drive time while getting used to the routes.

Beginning the evening of Nov. 15, drivers traveling I-395 during late-night periods should take extra caution as there will be crews and police on the road to unveil all signage and coordinate the opening. E-ZPass or E-ZPass Flex will be required at all entry ramps to the Express Lanes.

Drivers who get on the northbound 395 HOV lanes just before D.C. may be less likely to have an E-ZPass compared to other drivers on the HOV lanes. Drivers are reminded that the ramps to the northbound Express Lanes from S. Eads Street and from the regular lanes just before the 14th Street Bridge will require an E-ZPass.

Carpools with three or more people will need an E-ZPass Flex to travel for free. The Express Lanes team is offering an option for carpoolers who don’t have an E-ZPass Flex when the lanes open. At any point before Dec. 1, carpoolers who don’t have an E-ZPass can contact the Express Lanes team to register their license plate number for seven days of toll-free travel on the Lanes. The grace period is to give drivers time to order an E-ZPass Flex online or pick one up from an area retailer.