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Wasn't it HOV only prior to this? Isn't it adding a new capability for single drivers to use it that didn't exist before?

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Pretty much. Most of the complainers seem to be missing this fact.

There is a wrinkle, though. They slightly expanded the HOV hours at the same time they added the tolls. So there are some small windows where you could have (legally) driven solo previously and would now have to pay.

It wasn't always HOV only. It became one lane HOV, then all lanes at certain hours and now the fees are through the roof.

Which location? Inside the beltway it was always HOV on all lanes during the restricted hours from the moment it (inside the beltway) opened. That was part of the "deal" made between VA, Arlington (the VA county with the majority of the "inside the beltway" portion), and DOT to even get the road finally built.

The "single lane HOV" part was outside the beltway.

Inside the Beltway was always HOV-only during rush hour. It was originally HOV-3; but, was reduced to HOV-2. If the goal was to decrease the number of cars and increase car-pooling, they could have gone back to HOV-3.

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