Fines begin for HOT lane violators

ATLANTA (AP) State officials have begun fining motorists if they are unauthorized to drive in new interstate toll lanes in metro Atlanta.

Drivers using the so-called HOT lanes on Interstate 85 without a Peach Pass risk getting a $25 ticket in the mail.

Authorities say surveillance cameras will take images of license plates of suspected violators.

The State Road and Tollway Authority began enforcing the lanes late last week after about 1,000 warning tickets were issued during an initial 90-day grace period.

The I-85 toll lanes span 16 miles from near Chamblee Tucker Road, just south of I-285, to Old Peachtree Road in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties northeast of Atlanta.