Designed to test equity of the high occupancy toll/credit (HOT/C) lanes on freeway corridors, this 2005 study was undertaken in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency (ACCMA). The study applies the HOT/C lanes proposal to two specific freeway segments in Alameda and Santa Clara counties in California: Interstate 580 (I-580) and Interstate 680 (I-680). The I-580 facility has four general purpose lanes in each direction separated by a median, running approximately 12-13 miles, with study limits at Greenville Road to the east and the I-580/I-680 junction to the west. The I-680 facility has three general purpose lanes in each direction, running approximately 14 miles, with study limits at Route 237 (Santa Clara County) to the south and Route 84 (Alameda County) to the north. Both facilities assume one HOT lane in each direction. These corridors were selected because they are under active consideration for HOT lane implementation, and planning and funding for the I-680 HOT lane was already well advanced. This study analyzes key aspects of the HOT/C lanes concept including: toll revenues, impact on vehicle volumes and speeds, travel forecasting, freeway operations, and public opinion.
A summary of the traffic forecasts and toll rates are provided in this 2002 study for five tolling concepts, and two additional "sensitivity scenarios" for an eight-mile section of reversible HOV lanes, extending along I-15 between SR-163 and Ted Williams Parkway in San Diego, California. The report presents the forecasts for the following two tolling concepts taken forward to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Transportation Committee and the SANDAG Board of Directors: (1) imposing a flat fee for any single occupant vehicle (SOV) entering the facility at any location and (2) imposing a per-mile toll that varies with the point of entry. Under either tolling method, toll rates would be adjusted minute-to-minute to control SOV use and prevent congestion in the HOV express lanes. In addition, information is provided on existing traffic on the highway, expected growth in coming years, the number of high occupancy vehicles in the corridor, existing areas of congestion, and directional distribution of traffic in peak periods.
In 2002, a traffic operations plan was prepared for the San Diego Association of Governments. The plan assumed that a moveable barrier system would be used to adjust the configuration of the lanes to favor traffic in the peak direction of flow and the managed lanes would also make use of existing infrastructure including changeable message signs (TRS), for incident management, CCTV cameras, existing communications system, and others. The plan addresses issues like signing, striping, types and locations of control features, moveable barrier system, AM/PM peak/off peak operations, safety issues, and incident management.
The 2002 HOT lanes study for an eight-mile corridor along I-15 in San Diego, California was conducted in three major phases: traffic operations planning; concept plan/project feasibility analysis; and system requirements plan. The bulk of the information included in this report relates to Phase II efforts. In this phase, the operational and financial feasibility of the extended/expanded managed lanes project was examined under five project alternatives. These alternatives included: standard flat rate (all entries), flat rate with maximum toll per entry, standard per-mile rate, skewed per-mile rate, and standard rate per segment. A comparative analysis provided traffic and revenue information under each scenario for years 2005, 2010 and 2015. Alternative toll rates were also tested to determine optimum rates under each scenario for six time intervals during the day.
Independent findings from the three-year high occupancy toll (HOT) demonstration on I-15 in San Diego as part of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Congestion Pricing Pilot Program are summarized in this 2001 report. The demonstration project, managed by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), allowed single occupant vehicles (SOVs) to use the existing I-15 high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, known as the I-15 Express Lanes, for a fee. To assess the impacts of the I-15 pricing project, an independent, multi-element evaluation was conducted by San Diego State University. The evaluation considers whether the project met its primary objectives and reports on the measurable effects of pricing in the I-15 corridor during the three years of project operations. This report provides an overview of findings presented in detail in 44 technical reports that address a range of topics such as traffic, travel behavior, and institutional issues.
A cooperative effort funded by the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC) and the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Value Pricing Demonstration Program investigated the potential application of the High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane concept on the five-mile section of Highway 1 between State Park Drive and Morrissey Boulevard. The study, conducted in 2002, occurred in three distinct phases. Phase 1 included determining whether the implementation of a HOT lane on Highway 1 would be physically and financially feasible and what would be the HOT lane's effectiveness in managing congestion in the corridor. At the end of Phase 1, if a HOT lane was determined to be feasible and desirable for the corridor, the feasibility study would then proceed to Phase 2, which would include a detailed financial analysis, an equity/social justice analysis and a public acceptance analysis. Phase 3 would involve documentation of Phase 1 or Phases 1 and 2, if the feasibility study proceeded to Phase 2. The study included participation from Caltrans and various Santa Cruz County agencies through the Interagency Project Review Team, along with the public through monthly meetings and three policy workshops.
