Update 9/12: New toll lanes along Interstate 66 in Northern Virginia opened over the weekend. The lanes are supposed to alleviate congestion along the I-66, which was once dubbed “Worst Damn Freeways in America.”

The Express lanes, two in each direction, give commuters the option to pay a toll in order to avoid traffic and get to their destination faster. But commuters can currently use the lanes for free during a test period, according to the Washington Post. Tolls are expected to kick in before the end of the month. Nine miles have opened thus far and the remaining 13 miles are supposed to open before the end of 2022.

“Today’s opening of the 66 Express Lanes allows the Commonwealth and its partners to begin delivering long awaited relief to drivers who have dealt with daily congestion, unreliability and most recently, five years of heavy work construction,” said Virginia Transportation Secretary W. Sheppard Miller III at a ceremony, per the Post.

Original: A nine-mile section of the new Express Lanes on I-66 will open ahead of schedule, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced Friday. It’s set to open sometime around September 10.

The westernmost portion, which runs from Route 29 in Gainesville to Route 28 in Centreville is about 35 miles from the Virginia/D.C. line.

“We are pleased to join our 66 Express Lanes project partners in opening the first segment of one of Virginia’s largest megaprojects ahead of schedule,” VDOT Commissioner Stephen Brich said in a statement. “By opening the western segment of the new 66 Express Lanes early, we are able to start delivering congestion relief to I-66 travelers sooner than originally planned.”

Officials say the exact opening day will be announced shortly as crews finish up weather-dependent final work.

If you’ve driven anywhere on I-66 west of the Beltway, you’ve seen plenty of construction on the drive for the past five years. The $3.7 billion project adds two Express Lanes in each direction and associated off and on ramps.

Express Lanes give drivers the choice to pay to get out of congestion. The toll rises as traffic gets worse in the general purpose lanes. The goal is for Express Lane trips to be reliable with traffic moving at an average of 60 mph.

Vehicles with three or more people and buses can use the lanes for free, which encourages carpooling and transit. Drivers with three or more people will need a E-ZPass Flex set to carpool mode to use the lanes toll-free. During this early opening phase of the western segment, vehicles must have two or more occupants to qualify as HOV, but once the whole project opens it will all move to three passengers to ride free.

The second 13-mile portion from Centreville to the I-495 interchange is set to be open in December. Other finishing work will be done through mid-2023. Officials say the project also adds 4,000 park and ride spaces, new and expanded commuter bus service on the Fairfax County Connector and Potomac & Rappahannock Transportation Commission Omniride buses, safety and operational improvements at key interchanges, auxiliary lanes between interchanges, and bicycle and pedestrian paths, and connections.

Travelers driving east on I-66 will be able to merge onto the Express Lanes from the general-purpose lanes prior to Route 29 in Gainesville and by using a slip ramp prior to Route 234 Business.

Drivers traveling westbound on I-66 will be able to access the Express Lanes from the general purpose lanes prior to Route 28. Drivers will also have direct access from new dedicated ramps at Route 234/Sudley Road, Route 28, and Braddock and Walney Roads, and from two new commuter parking lots at University Boulevard near Gainesville and Century Park Drive near Manassas.

The I-66 lanes are the latest Express Lanes to open, but they’re not the last to come Virginia. An extension of the I-95 Express Lanes to Fredericksburg is under construction and set to open in late 2023. Virginia is also planning for future lanes from near Tysons to the American Legion Bridge/Maryland state line and from the I-495/395 interchange near Springfield, across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge near National Harbor. Maryland is also pursuing Express Lanes on parts of I-495 and I-270.

This post has been updated to include news of opening of the new lanes along I-66. Amanda Michelle Gomez contributed reporting.