New express lane signs go up on I-80 in Davis, but tolls won't start until 2028

New express lane signs are going up along Interstate 80 in Davis, offering drivers a preview of a major change coming to the Yolo Causeway.

The signs are being installed over the next several weeks as construction continues on the Yolo 80 Managed Lanes project.

But drivers won't have to pay anything yet. Tolls are not expected to begin until 2028, according to the Capitol Area Regional Tolling Authority, or CARTA.

CARTA Executive Director Kathleen Aziz said the goal of the tolling system is to make travel times more predictable for drivers who choose to pay.

"We'll work the toll pricing for it to be a reliable trip, right? So that you know that when you leave your house, you can predict how long it's going to take you to get across the causeway, which all of us know right now is very unpredictable," Aziz said.

Carta said the project is designed to give drivers a choice by offering a faster, less-congested route for commuters who are willing to pay.

Those who don't want to pay a toll will still be able to use the existing free lanes.

"If express lanes aren't for you, and you never want to pay that toll and use the new lane, those three lanes in each direction that were there before will still be there. They will still be free to use," Aziz said.

The project is being developed through a partnership between Caltrans and transportation agencies in the Sacramento region. CARTA was formed to operate express lanes in the region, and this is its first express lane project.

For commuters who travel the Yolo Causeway every day, the current traffic remains a major frustration.

"I drive for construction, so that line every single day just sucks," one driver named Hunter said.

More toll lanes planned across the region

The Yolo 80 project is part of a broader plan to develop managed toll lanes along some of the Sacramento region's most congested highways over the next two decades.

Three toll-lane projects are currently in development:

• I-80: Davis to West Sacramento in Yolo County. The Yolo 80 project is under construction.
• I-5: Sacramento International Airport to downtown Sacramento. The project is in the environmental phase.
• Highway 65: A planned toll-lane project in Placer County, also in the environmental phase.

The I-5 and Highway 65 projects are being developed with input from residents, drivers and elected officials.