A seven mile segment of Maryland's new InterCounty Connector is now open. A portion of the limited access toll road has been completed from Interstate 370 to Georgia Avenue in Olney.

The ICC, or Md. 200, has already generated plenty of traffic. More than 20,000 cars traveled the road on opening day alone.

Currently, commuters are allowed to test drive the new road with a waiver of the $3 toll. Toll waivers end April 5, at which time drivers will be required to have an E-ZPass (a device that automatically bills you as you pass through tolls) to travel the road.

Tolls will cost $1.45 during rush hour, $1.15 during off-peak times and 60 cents overnight.

All tolls are enforced electronically through overhead video operated tolling structures. Drivers who use the toll road with no E-ZPass device will receive a notice of their charges in the mail, sent to the vehicle's registered owner.

Electronic tolls are a safer alternative to cash booths, which require frequent stops and cause congestion. Electronic toll systems allow commuters to travel freely and eliminate the danger of accident-prone cash booths.

When finished, the ICC is expected to cover an 18-mile stretch of freeway through Montgomery and Prince George's counties, connecting I-270 and I-95. Transportation officials believe the Maryland toll road will greatly reduce commute times and relieve congestion on the busy stretches of Layhill, Norbeck and Muncaster Mill roads.