Tolls on the Pocahontas Parkway will increase by 25 cents for two-axle passenger vehicles passing through the road's main toll plaza beginning Feb. 7, but only during morning and afternoon commute times.

Drivers will pay more between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tolls will not change during weekends, holidays or other hours.

Tolls also will increase by the same amount for drivers traveling between Interstate 295 and the Laburnum Avenue exit (who do not pass through the main toll plaza), and for multi-axle vehicles, which are currently charged $1 for each additional axle beyond two.

“We hope that limiting the toll increase to only part of the day will make it a little easier for our customers, and give them some flexibility to travel on Pocahontas 895 at a lower rate as their schedules may permit,” said Kevin Longenbach, vice president of operations and development for Transurban, which manages Pocahontas 895.

Transurban and state officials recently opened the 1.6-mile Airport Drive connector road, which links the Pocahontas Parkway to Airport Drive and Richmond International Airport.

“We think customers are getting a lot of value for the extra quarter, especially now that the new Richmond Airport Connector Road is open,” said Longenbach, who oversees the operation of Pocahontas 895. “The Connector offers a no-lights, non-stop route to Richmond International Airport. Drivers may save up to 10 minutes on a trip to catch a plane, especially for those coming from Chesterfield County and the Tri-Cities.”

Pocahontas 895 tolls are controlled by an agreement between VDOT and Transurban (895) LLC entered into in June 2006, when Transurban acquired management rights to the parkway.

The agreement caps toll increases and ensures toll schedules are transparent to the public so that customers always know what the maximum toll can be at any given time.

For details, visiti http://www.pocahontas895.com