1. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Establishing a Metropolitan Network of Congestion-Free Freeways Eliminating Freeway Bottlenecks in the Short-Term Without Major Construction Patrick DeCorla-Souza Federal Highway Administration TRB Transportation Applications Conference May, 2007

2. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Overview The freeway congestion dilemma Addressing traffic flow breakdown with a new approach to transportation system operation Costs, revenues and benefits

3. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov As Much as Half of Freeway Capacity is Wasted in Rush Hours SR 91 Express Toll Lanes: Vehicle throughput is double in the peak hour Free-flow speed vs. 15- 20 mph in free lanes

4. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Eastbound I-66, Northern VA – Monday Morning, March 5, 2007 5:00 a.m. 6:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 7:00 a.m. Outside Capital Beltway

5. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Travel Time on Eastbound I-66: 7am to 10 am Traffic Volume Speed (mph) Travel Time per Mile (min.) 7:00-8:00 am 8:00-9:00 am 9:00-10:00 am 7,000 6,000 19,000 30.0 25.0 30.0 14,000 14,40 12,000 40,400

6. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Travel Time with No Flow Breakdown (for the same 19,000 vehicles) Traffic Volume Speed (mph) Travel Time per Mile (min.) 7:00-8:00 am 8:00-9:00 am 9:00-10:00 am 8,000 3,000* 19,000* 55.0 8,720 3,270 20,710 *Previous freeway traffic only. Recovered capacity of 5,000 vehicles will attract additional drivers

7. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Annual Benefits of Free Flow on I-66 Per Mile Avg. Trip Length Total Savings* Daily time savings Annual savings (total, AM and PM) Monetary value** 19,69010 mi.196,900 min. 1.64 million hours $20 million *Additional benefits anticipated 9 – 10 am due to recovered capacity (5,000 vehicles), including: (1) benefits to 5,000 vehicles; (2) congestion reduction on alternative routes. **At $12 per hour

8. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov The Problem is Solvable Keeping a small number of vehicles from arriving at critical times can prevent flow breakdown Evidence: ▫ Washington DC in August ▫ State holiday in California ▫ Jewish holiday in Boston In each case less than 10% fewer vehicles

9. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Can a Few Vehicles Shift Arrival Time? National Household travel Survey: ▫ 20% of vehicle trips made during peak travel periods are made SOLELY to shop ▫ Total non-work travel** constitutes:  49% of vehicle trips in AM peak period  75% of vehicle trips in PM peak period *Source: USDOT, FHWA – National Household Travel Survey 2001 ** Includes only trips not made during a commute “tour”

10. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Can a Few Vehicles Shift Arrival Time? Options for work trips: 1.Shift to transit 2.Vanpool or carpool 3.Use flextime, or telecommute Key is to get a few vehicles off the freeway during the critical period

11. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Can We Prevent Flow Breakdown? The three “ pull ” strategies (transit, ridesharing and flextime/telecommuting) are necessary but not sufficient: ▫ Any reduction in delays due to such shifts will cause “ replacement ” of reduced traffic by those who had previously been deterred by congestion ▫ Must ensure that user-borne cost of driving stays about the same as before Two ways: (1) ramp metering; (2) congestion pricing

12. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov (1) Ramp Metering Controls merging traffic at freeway entrance ramps, using time delay as a “ price ” to enter the freeway Main issues: ▫ Queues can back up onto arterials and cause congestion ▫ Drivers frustrated by long waits ▫ Those living further out have advantage over those living in central city ▫ Motorists may choose to divert to alternate routes

13. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov (2) Congestion Pricing Variable toll “ price ” to manage demand for use of freeway: ▫ Unlike time “ price ” in ramp metering, user-borne toll cost is not a “ wasted ” resource – revenue can generate additional benefits Main issues: ▫ Motorist perceives that “ free ” service will be taken away ▫ Some drivers may be made worse off

14. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov (3) “ Super HOT ” Congestion Pricing Toll-bypass lane plus modal choices, gives options : ▫ Wait in toll-bypass lane and “ pay ” with time ▫ Go to transfer area and take fast, discounted transit ▫ Ride toll-free in a certified vanpool or carpool ▫ Pay variable toll and get guaranteed premium service ▫ Pay lower tolls or no toll by traveling earlier or later

15. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov “ Super HOT ” Pricing Dynamic pricing: ▫ Can manage flow for optimum throughput in real time ▫ Can respond immediately when spare capacity is available by reducing toll rates, benefiting the motorist ALL lanes priced: ▫ When only one or two lanes are priced, tolls must be high enough to “ price off ” a majority of users ▫ When all lanes are priced, only about 10% of users must be priced off at the critical “ breakdown ” time – so tolls are a lot lower, and 90% are willing to pay them

16. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov “ Super HOT ” Incident Management Overhead lane controls at short intervals: ▫ During incident, one “ clear ” lane restricted for buses and HOVs ▫ Any spare capacity in the restricted lane managed for free-flow using an “ additional ” variable toll for SOVs willing to pay for premium service ▫ All other vehicles credited with amount of toll paid, if guaranteed speed is not experienced

17. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Toll-Bypass Lanes With 10-15% of travelers shifted to other modes or times-of-day, all remaining vehicles could be accommodated, so toll-bypass lanes would have zero delays to begin with This would encourage more drivers to use the lane, until the queue is long enough that queue-delay “ cost, ” as perceived by those with the lowest value of time, would be equal to the toll rate Assuming a 5 min. queue delay, and a queue discharge rate of 15 vehicles per min., the toll- bypass lane would need to accommodate 75 vehicles

18. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov “ Super HOT ” Concept Summary Manage traffic flow on all lanes of a freeway Variable tolls: ▫ At bottleneck locations only ▫ During peak periods only Complementary strategies ▫ Operations – ramp metering, toll collection, lane controls ▫ Discounted transit services ▫ Certified vanpools and carpools – toll-free ▫ Telecommuting and flextime ▫ Multi-modal traveler information

19. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Advantages Reduces congestion now on whole freeway network Creates an HOV network and a “ fixed guideway ” transit network practically overnight Advantages relative to priced lane networks: ▫ Costs lower – less right-of-way, pavement, easier freeway-to-freeway connections ▫ Capacity per lane higher ▫ Safety – less weaving ▫ User cost - lower toll for premium service ▫ Entire facility congestion-free

20. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Feasibility of a Super HOT Highway Network Toll rates Costs to implement Revenues Social benefits

21. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Prototypical Urban Network 100-mile, severely congested freeway network, avg. 6 lanes Price all lanes – peak periods only New express bus services with heavily discounted transit fares Park-and-ride at transit transfer sites Toll-bypass lanes at toll gantries at about 5-mile intervals

22. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Average Peak Period Toll Rate for 10-mile Freeway Segment Prior peak period avg. speed Time saved over 10 miles Willingness-to-pay of 50% of travelers (20 cents/min. saved*) 30 mph 10 min. $2.00* * Based on average value of time of $12.00, 50% of travelers value their time equal to or higher than $12.00 per hour

23. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Annual Highway Costs for 100- mile Network (million $) Annualized capital Annual O & M cost Total $ 10 * $ 20 $ 30 * Based on total capital cost of $127 million, covering operations technology and toll-bypass lanes

24. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Annual Transit Costs for 100- Mile Network (million $) Transit fare subsidy Parking at park-and-ride lots Total $49 $8* $57 * Annualized cost, including annualized capital cost plus annual maintenance costs

25. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Annual Costs for 100-mile Multimodal Network (million $) Highway Transit and park-and -ride TOTAL $30 $57 $87

26. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Annual Benefits for 100-mile Multimodal Network (million $) Delay reduction* Reduction in wasted fuel TOTAL** $250 $120 $370 *At $12 per hour **Freeway only – does not include potential reductions due to reduced arterial congestion

27. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov What This Means Use of congestion delay to allocate scarce roadway space during rush hours costs $370 million a year Using a “ Super HOT ” pricing system instead would cost only $87 million annually, and would in addition provide other economic and quality of life benefits

28. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov Costs vs. Revenues and Benefits (million $) Costs Revenues Surplus Benefits B/C ratio ($380 M./$122 M.) $87 $200 $113 $370 4.4

29. TRB Transportation Applications Conference Congestion-Free Freeways US Department of Transportation www.fightgridlocknow.gov What This Means “ Super HOT ” highway network can be financially self-sufficient Benefits will exceed costs by a 4 to1 ratio (conservatively estimated). Potential to get public acceptance since no one is actually made worse off – although some could still perceive differently