New Revenues Will Support Transportation Projects, Services

Dover - Increases in tolls on I-95 and Rt. 1, and various motor vehicle fee increases will go into effect Oct. 1.

The increases will help provide additional revenues to fund a transportation program that is needed to support the growth of our state and maintain our existing infrastructure. The last major increase to Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) revenues was in 1995. Since then the demand for improvements and the cost of delivering services and projects has increased significantly. As a result, revenues have not kept pace with inflation.

More background material, and specific increases are provided on the Web sites for the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), www.deldot.gov, and sister Web sites for the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), www.dmv.de.gov, and E-ZPass, www.ezpassde.com.

The bulk of the above fee and rate changes go into effect Oct. 1. DMV and E-ZPass customers have already been mailed notices about the pending increases through regular mailings.

To alert motorists of the tolls increases on I-95 and Rt. 1, DelDOT will place variable message signs approaching all toll plazas, and Delaware State Police will also be a presence at all toll plazas.

On Rt. 1, DelDOT is also preparing for the weekend-only increases for passenger vehicles. This means that from 7 p.m. Fridays through 11 p.m. Sundays, passenger vehicles will pay the increased tolls. Weekday rates for passenger vehicles will remain as is. New permanent signs along Rt. 1 will display the posted rates, which can be changed electronically for weekend and weekday rates.

Toll Rate Structure Changes (effective Oct. 1)

Delaware Turnpike (I-95) Newark Toll Plaza:

• Tolls for all classes of vehicles on I-95 increase by $1.
• The nighttime commercial vehicle E-ZPass discount will be eliminated.

Rt. 1 Biddle's Corner Toll Plaza (south of Canal) and Dover Toll Plaza:

• Passenger vehicle tolls on weekends (7 p.m. Fridays to 11 p.m. Sundays) increase by $1.
• Passenger vehicle toll rates on weekdays remain unchanged.
• Commercial vehicle tolls increase by $1 on weekdays, and by $2 on weekends (7 p.m. Fridays to 11 p.m. Sundays).

Boyd's Corner (exit 142) and Denney's Road (exit 104) toll ramps:

• Passenger vehicle toll will remain the same, at 50 cents
• New commercial vehicle rates are 50 cents per axle.

South Smyrna (exit 114) toll ramp:

• Passenger vehicle toll will remain the same, at 25 cents.
• New commercial vehicle rates are 25 cents per axle.

Route 1, Other:

• The Frequent Traveler 50 percent discount for passenger vehicles making 30 trips in 30 days remains unchanged.
• The commercial vehicle E-ZPass discount is reduced from a discounted rate of 50 percent to a new discounted rate of 25 percent per transaction.
• The 15 percent standard E-ZPass discount is eliminated at all locations.
• The High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) discount is eliminated.

Motor Vehicle Fee Increases (effective Oct. 1)

REGISTRATION COSTS (effective Oct. 1, 2007):

• Registrations due on or after Oct. 1 will pay new registration fees (see below for breakdown), even if they register prior to that date.
• Registrations due on or prior to Sept. 30 will pay the current rates. However, if a registration is paid late (on or after Oct. 1), the customer will pay the increased fees and be charged a $10 late fee.
• It is the first passenger vehicle registration fee increase since 1965.
• On any given month, there are approximately 30,000 people that register vehicles with the four DMV facilities statewide.

DOCUMENT FEES (effective Oct. 1, 2007 and Oct. 1, 2008):

The document fee will increase from $2.75 per $100 of purchase price to $3.25 (or, 3.25 percent of purchase price) on Oct. 1, 2007 and from $3.25 to $3.75 per $100 of purchase price (or, 3.75 percent of purchase price) on Oct. 1, 2008. DMV will process vehicles sold prior to Oct. 1, using the $2.75 per $100 of purchase price fee until Nov. 1, as long as the customer provides a bill of sale showing the vehicle was purchased prior to Oct. 1. A minimum document fee of $8 will be charged on vehicles with a purchase price of less than $400, and a minimum document fee of $13.75 will be charged on vehicles with a purchase price of $400 up to and including $500.

TITLE FEE (effective Oct. 1, 2007):

The title fee will increase from $15 to $25 for titles without liens. The fee for a title with a lien will increase from $25 to $35. The Division will process vehicles sold prior to Oct. 1 using the $15 title fee ($25 with lien) until Nov. 1, as long as the customer provides a bill of sale showing the vehicle was purchased prior to Oct. 1.

DRIVER'S LICENSE (effective July 9, 2007)

New fees for a driver's license - Class D and non-CDL Class A and B, ($25 each), permanent licenses renewal ($15), and identification cards ($20) will take effect.

Other

• 50 percent surcharge on all traffic fines will begin Jan. 1, 2008.

For more information, the public may write to DelDOT Public Relations at dot-public-relations@state.de.us, or 800 Bay Road, Dover, DE, 19903, or call 302-760-2080 or 800-652-5600.

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