Express lanes were originally used for dual freeway segments where the inside carriageways provided limited ingress and egress points, allowing for higher speeds and better traffic flow due to the lack of merging traffic. A six mile segment of Interstate 96 from Livonia to Detroit, Michigan and Interstate 80 through Patterson, New Jersey include examples of this type of express lanes. Express lanes nowadays referred to toll lanes or tolled carriageways incorporated into a toll free freeway. Interstate 595 (Port Everglades Expressway) in Broward County and Interstate 95 east of Baltimore incorporate Express Lanes where motorists may use the high speed lanes for a variable toll rate. Express Lanes differ from High Occupancy Toll (HO/T) lanes in that all motorists are levied a fee regardless of the number of passengers present.

Projects in 2016 and beyond add Express Lanes to overall toll roads, allowing commuters on the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike, the Beachline Expressway (SR 528) at Orlando and Veterans Expressway (SR 589) at Tampa, Florida to pay a higher rate to bypass the toll road mainlines.