Transurban explains reason for $30 tolls on Virginia express lanes ahead of snowstorm

WASHINGTON - The company that manages tolls roads in northern Virginia says it will work with customers who paid high fees ahead of last week's snowfall.

Some motorists who took the Express Lanes along Interstate 495 during the evening commute last Thursday faced $30 tolls. FOX 5's Raisa Crespo photographed one sign displaying a $30 fee in the Tyson's area.

"Last week we definitely had a challenging scenario for drivers," said Transurban spokesperson, Michael McGurk, when he joined FOX 5 on Tuesday.

The high tolls were due partly to traffic increases seen when Virginia Department of Transportation salt trucks were on the roadways. "That toll price was a reaction to those conditions in the lanes," McGurk continued. "Once that traffic starts to build in the lanes we use that toll to discourage more people from entering the lanes so we can let that clear out."

McGurk also so said typically road treatments are done at night avoiding added congestion during heavy commute times. He said algorithms play a part in determining the tolls as traffic increases.

McGurk encouraged customers who paid the toll to contact them with concerns at 855-495-9777.