E-ZPass Minnesota, formerlyMnPass, is the brand name associated with a series ofhigh occupancy toll lanes (HO/T lanes) andelectronic toll collection (ETC) system in theMinneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area ofMinnesota. The lanes and the ETC system are owned by theMinnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and fully compatible with the multi-stateE-ZPass network.
Solo drivers who are registered under theE-ZPass program and have a toll transponder are allowed to pay a toll to use the lanes during operating hours. Vehicles with two or more occupants, buses, and motorcycles may use the lanes for free without requiring a toll transponder.
The primary device is a switchable tag. The switchable tag allows users to switch between HOV mode (where using the lanes is free) and solo mode (where users must pay the toll to use the lanes). The current transponder is a rebrandedE-ZPass Flex tag which is also used in other states.[1]
A license plate tag is available for vehicles that have a metallic tint on their windshield that would prevent the E-ZPass equipment from reading the tag. There is a $15 one-time fee for the license plate tag, which otherwise functions the same as the sticker tag.
The initial minimum prepaid amount for a E-ZPass Minnesota account is $25, plus the cost of an transponder type if applicable.[1]
Small commercial vehicles that are no more than two axles and weigh less than 26,000 pounds (12,000 kg) are eligible to register for a E-ZPass account and transponder. Commercial vehicles with more than two axles or weigh more than 26,000 pounds (12,000 kg) are prohibited from having a transponder, but may still use the E-ZPass lanes when the lanes are free and open to all traffic.[2]
Until August 2, 2021, the MnPASS system was not interoperable with other transponder-based toll systems, such as E-ZPass,I-Pass, orFasTrak.[3] E-ZPass became interoperable with the MnPASS system starting on August 2, 2021, and MnPass was rebranded as E-ZPass Minnesota. Existing MnPASS holders are allowed to keep their tags or trade them for E-ZPass tags, and existing MnPASS transponders continue to function on Minnesota toll roads (but not on other states' toll roads).[4]
Before joining the E-ZPass system in 2021, a sticker tag was the default tag, and was provided for free. Existing sticker tag transponders are still valid in Minnesota but cannot be used outside of the state. Applied to the inside of the windshield it is not transferable and is always active.
During E-ZPass Minnesota operating hours, tolls for the E-ZPass lanes range from $0.25 to $8. The actual toll level depends on the volume of traffic. Higher volumes of traffic usually result in higher toll levels. Electronic sensors monitor the traffic density and tolls are changed every three minutes. The variable tolls are intended to keep traffic in the E-ZPass lanes moving between 50 and 55 miles per hour (80 and 89 km/h).[5] Outside of operating hours, there is no toll and the lanes are free (signed simply as "OPEN") and open to all traffic (regardless of whether they have a transponder or not) with one exception: the reversible E-ZPass lanes onInterstate 394 (I-394) betweenMinnesota State Highway 100 (MN 100) andI-94 always has a minimum $0.25 toll and thus are not open to solo drivers without a E-ZPass transponder.
TheI-394 MnPASS lanes opened in May 2005 and were the first such lanes in Minnesota. The lanes were converted from the previoushigh-occupancy vehicle lanes that were constructed with I-394 in the 1980s and early 1990s.
West of the Xenia/Park Place interchange (just west ofMN 100, the E-ZPass lanes function as concurrent flow[6] lanes, utilizing the inside/left lane in each direction. These lanes are separated from the general purpose lanes only by lane striping, as are theI-35W andI-35E E-ZPass lanes. The lane striping ranges from a single dashed white line where lane changes (and E-ZPass lane access) is allowed to double solid white lines where lane changing is prohibited. The westbound E-ZPass lane ends at theI-494 overpass (continuing west of I-494 as a general purpose lane), while the eastbound E-ZPass lane begins at the County Road 15 (CR 15) interchange onU.S. Highway 12 (US 12) inWayzata. These concurrent flow E-ZPass lanes are tolled eastbound between 6 and 10 am weekdays and westbound between 3 and 7 pm weekdays.[7] They are open to all traffic at all other times.
East of the Xenia/Park Place interchange, the E-ZPass lanes transition to a pair ofmedian-running reversible lanes that are physically separated from the general purpose lanes by aconcrete barrier. These lanes extend to the edge of downtownMinneapolis before ending and merging into the I-394 mainline atI-94. Intermediate access to these reversible E-ZPass lane is limited to MN 100, the south frontage road at MN 100, Dunwoody Boulevard/Van White Boulevard, and I-94 in the direction of theLowry Hill Tunnel. The lanes are open eastbound (towards downtown) from 6am to 1pm daily, and westbound (away from downtown) daily from 2pm to 5am the following morning.[7] Hours may vary due to special events or maintenance activities.
There were a total of over 1.3 million tolled trips taken in the I-394 MnPASS lanes in 2017.[7]
The E-ZPass lanes alongI-35W south of downtownMinneapolis were opened in stages between 2009 and 2011 and are a combination of new construction (south of Burnsville Parkway), conversion of the previously existinghigh-occupancy vehicle lanes (between Burnsville Parkway and 66th Street), construction related to theCrosstown Commons project, and conversion of a median shoulder into a priced dynamic shoulder lane.[8] The lanes are concurrent-flow lanes using the inside/left lane in each direction. The northbound E-ZPass lane begins atCR 42 and extends continuously to 26th Street. The southbound E-ZPass Lane begins at 26th Street and extends to Cliff Road. The northbound E-ZPass lane is tolled weekdays between 6 and 10 am and the segment north ofMN 62 is also tolled between 3 and 7 pm. The southbound E-ZPass lane is tolled weekdays between 3 and 7 pm with the segment between 42nd Street andI-494 also tolled between 6 and 10 am. The lanes are open to all traffic at all other times.
E-ZPass lanes on I-35W between County Road C inRoseville and Lexington Avenue inBlaine were opened in 2021.[9]
Almost 950,000 tolled trips were taken in the I-35W MnPASS lanes in 2017.[7]
TheOrange Line bus rapid transitway utilizes the I-35W MnPASS lanes.[10]
TheI-35E E-ZPass lanes are the first such lanes in the eastern half of theMinneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area. These are concurrent-flow lanes, using the inside/left lane in each direction. The lanes were opened from Cayuga Street (north edge of downtownSt. Paul) to Little Canada Road in December 2015 and were added as part of a full reconstruction project. In December 2016, the southbound E-ZPass lane was extended to begin at CR 96, while a separate northbound E-ZPass Lane was added between CR E (north ofI-694) and CR J (at theRamsey–Anoka county line. The two northbound E-ZPass lanes are tolled weekdays between 3 and 7 pm, while the southbound E-ZPass lane is tolled weekdays between 6 and 10 am. The lanes are open to all traffic at all other times.
Approximately 440,000 tolled trips were taken in the I-35E MnPASS lanes in 2017.[7]
TheI-494 E-ZPass lanes are yet to be constructed, but will be constructed between 2023 and 2026. Westbound there will be a E-ZPass lane fromMN 77 toI-35W, and eastbound fromFrance Avenue to MN 77. The project is part of a major corridor study happening on I-494.
MnDOT is currently studying theI-94 corridor between downtown Minneapolis and downtownSt. Paul. No recommendations have come out of this study yet as of April 2018. However, the corridor is listed as a Tier 1 Corridor for E-ZPass implementation by theMetropolitan Council, the region's metropolitan planning organization.[11]
MnDOT is currently studying theUS 169 corridor betweenMN 41 nearShakopee andMN 55 inPlymouth. E-ZPass lanes are one of the options being considered.[12]