The Powhite Parkway will become an open road for commuters in the fall, but the new highway won't mean freedom from tolls.

The Richmond Metropolitan Authority is testing a new system for the Powhite that will allow "open-road tolling" on new express lanes for vehicles equipped with an electronic E-ZPass tag on their windshields.

No toll gates. No 10-mph speed limit.

But there will be cameras to take clear images of the license plates of cars whose drivers don't pay.

A similar technology already is used on the Pocahontas Parkway between Chesterfield and Henrico counties, as well as the Dulles Toll Road in Northern Virginia. However, the system will be new to the RMA, which predicts the new, split-plaza toll road will handle traffic volumes through 2025.

"The advantage of it is we can move more traffic through quickly," said James B. Kennedy, director of operations. Here are a few things drivers should know about how the system will work:

How fast can I go?

The maximum legal speed will be 45 mph, even though the system is capable of reading tags at higher speeds. How many lanes will be open?

The Powhite will operate three express lanes in each direction, as well as seven conventional lanes for each of the two toll plazas. Can I hold the E-ZPass?

You might not get credit on your account if you wave the tag instead of mounting it properly on your windshield. One thing the RMA is testing is how accurately the system reads a hand-held tag at a speed of 45 mph. What if my E-ZPass account is empty?

The system will relay its reading to a Virginia Department of Transportation customer-service center in Covington. The center will search its records to determine whether the tag is properly registered and whether there is money in the account to pay the toll. What happens if I don't have an E-ZPass?

Cameras will take a digital image of the vehicle's rear license plate. The owner of the vehicle will get a copy of the image, along with a $25 penalty.

The fee goes up to $50 on the second notice.

After that, see you in court.

"If you get the violation notice, you do not want to ignore it," Kennedy said.

Violators always have the opportunity to sign up with E-ZPass so they can use the express lanes legally, Kennedy said.

"We're looking for customers," he said. "We really don't want people to violate."
Contact Michael Martz at (804) 649-6964 or mmartz@timesdispatch.com.