1. Managed Lanes CE 550: Advanced Highway Design Damion Pregitzer

2. Background VMT has increased 70% in last 20 years VMT has increased 70% in last 20 years Highway Capacity increase only 0.3% Highway Capacity increase only 0.3% DOTs and MPOs can’t keep up with growing need DOTs and MPOs can’t keep up with growing need

3. Transportation Issues Construction Costs Construction Costs Right-of-Way Constraints Right-of-Way Constraints Environmental Concerns Environmental Concerns Social Impacts Social Impacts Economic Impacts Economic Impacts

4. What are managed Lanes? “Freeway within a Freeway” “Freeway within a Freeway” High Degree of Flexibility High Degree of Flexibility Continued Optimization Continued Optimization Defined: “’Managed Lanes’ are highway facilities or a set of lanes where operational strategies are proactively implemented and managed in response to changing conditions” Defined: “’Managed Lanes’ are highway facilities or a set of lanes where operational strategies are proactively implemented and managed in response to changing conditions”

5. Management Strategies Pricing Pricing –Tolls –Congestion Pricing Vehicle Eligibility Vehicle Eligibility –Type –Minimum Occupancy Access Control Access Control –Express Lanes –Dynamic Closures

6. Manage Lane Applications

7. Active Management Primary difference from traditional strategies Primary difference from traditional strategies Use to achieve free-flow conditions Use to achieve free-flow conditions Defined Performance Measures Defined Performance Measures Example: raise toll to achieve desired traveling speeds Example: raise toll to achieve desired traveling speeds

8. Why Managed Lanes? Increasing VMT and Congestion Increasing VMT and Congestion Funding Shortages Funding Shortages Provides drivers multiple transportation options Provides drivers multiple transportation options

9. Success Stories

10. State Route 91: Orange County, California Project Goal: Provide motorists a congestion-free alternative and maintain financial viability of the lanes. Project Goal: Provide motorists a congestion-free alternative and maintain financial viability of the lanes.

11. State Route 91: Orange County, California Toll Express Lanes Toll Express Lanes 10 Miles in center median of SR91 10 Miles in center median of SR91 2 Lanes in each direction 2 Lanes in each direction Fully automated; must have registered account Fully automated; must have registered account Privately developed Privately developed Tolls vary by time of day Tolls vary by time of day

12. QuickRide: Houston, Texas Project Goal: Utilize available HOV capacity while preserving bus operating speeds Project Goal: Utilize available HOV capacity while preserving bus operating speeds

13. QuickRide: Houston, Texas HOT Lanes HOT Lanes I-10, 13 mile single lane reversible I-10, 13 mile single lane reversible US 290, 13.5 mile single lane reversible US 290, 13.5 mile single lane reversible Fully automated; must have registered account Fully automated; must have registered account Allows 2 occupant vehicles access during 3+ restriction (added fee) Allows 2 occupant vehicles access during 3+ restriction (added fee) $2.00 per trip flat fee $2.00 per trip flat fee Operates only during peak hours Operates only during peak hours

14. Interstate 15: San Diego, California Project Goal: Utilize available HOV capacity to fund new transit service in the corridor Project Goal: Utilize available HOV capacity to fund new transit service in the corridor

15. Interstate 15: San Diego, California 8 mile HOT lane 8 mile HOT lane 2 lane reversible 2 lane reversible Fully automated; must have registered account Fully automated; must have registered account Tolls vary dynamically Tolls vary dynamically Tolls rates based on level of congestion in the lanes Tolls rates based on level of congestion in the lanes

16. New Jersey Turnpike: Dual-Dual Section, New Jersey Project Goal: Enhance safety and improve operations through increased flexibility Project Goal: Enhance safety and improve operations through increased flexibility

17. Best Practices in Managed Lanes Planning and Project Development Planning and Project Development Facility Monitoring and Evaluation Facility Monitoring and Evaluation Life-Cycle Considerations Life-Cycle Considerations Combination of Strategies Combination of Strategies

18. Planning and Project Development Agency Collaboration Agency Collaboration –Project covers multiple jurisdictions –Not Typically in LTRP Affected Stakeholders Affected Stakeholders –Transit Agencies –Regional transportation authorizes –Toll Agencies –Law Enforcement personnel –Court Personnel –Environmental Groups –Special Interest Groups –Citizens

19. Planning and Project Development Selecting Managed Lane Strategy Selecting Managed Lane Strategy –What are the desired project objectives/outcomes? –New or existing facility –Availability of ROW –Current operational characteristics of corridor –Environmental and societal concerns

20. Planning and Project Development Identifying a Hierarchy of Users Identifying a Hierarchy of Users –High priority vs. Low priority users –Low priority experience most of the costs –Ensures LOS for target mode(s) of transportation

21. Planning and Project Development Establishing Threshold Values Establishing Threshold Values –Threshold values –Performance measure: Speed, Volume, Delay –Changes to price and/or occupancy allowed

22. Planning and Project Development Communicating the Managed Lane Strategy Communicating the Managed Lane Strategy –Need to involve the Public –Politicians/Decision makers –May require additional laws –Tolls perceived as “Unfair” by users –Difficulties informing users with dynamic system –Ongoing education and transparency is critical

23. Facility Operations with Continual Monitoring Project Flexibility Project Flexibility –Alter operations as warranted –Dynamic toll changes –Moveable barriers –Larger design vehicles –Design roadway for all potential future uses (Rail)

24. Facility Operations with Continual Monitoring Monitoring and Evaluation Monitoring and Evaluation –Ongoing measurement of performance measures –Update thresholds –Goal: Free-Flow speeds –Use of new technology  Vehicle sensors  Automatic vehicle identification  License plate recognition  User information systems

25. Life-Cycle Considerations Maintenance of actively managed roadway in future Maintenance of actively managed roadway in future Sustainable performance Sustainable performance Reassessment of Managed Lane strategies Reassessment of Managed Lane strategies

26. Life-Cycle Considerations Example: Colorado DOT Example: Colorado DOT

27. New Challenges Access Design Access Design Driver Information and Signing Driver Information and Signing Enforcement Enforcement Revenue Generation and Equity Revenue Generation and Equity Legislative Authority Legislative Authority New Institutional Arrangements New Institutional Arrangements Analysis Techniques and Demand Forecasting models Analysis Techniques and Demand Forecasting models Design Flexibility Design Flexibility Integrated Transpiration Opportunities Integrated Transpiration Opportunities Technology Technology

28. New Challenges Access Design Access Design –Ingress and Egress points –Enforcement considerations –Spacing of at-grade ramp connections –Length of weaving sections –Integration with existing network

29. New Challenges Driver Information and Signing Driver Information and Signing –Ingress / Egress Locations –Occupancy Requirements –Operating Hours –Toll Amounts –Operating Agencies –Electronic message boards

30. New Challenges Enforcement Enforcement –Protects integrity of pricing strategies –Complexity of design creates challenges –Simplify verification / identification –Dedicated Law Enforcement personnel –Potential legislative changes

31. New Challenges Revenue Generation and Equity Revenue Generation and Equity –Multiple agencies –Budget –Economic impact –Community goals

32. New Challenges Legislative Authority Legislative Authority –State / National Laws –Automated Enforcement –Cooperation between agencies –Private Developer involvement

33. New Challenges Analysis Techniques and Demand Forecasting Models Analysis Techniques and Demand Forecasting Models –Inclusion into LTRP –Scenario testing –Data collection –Air quality estimation

34. New Challenges Integrated Transportation Opportunities Integrated Transportation Opportunities –Need for complex combinations of strategies to meet future growth –Regional planning efforts (DOT, MPO, RPA) –New methodologies (BRT)

35. New Challenges Technology Technology –Not a limiting factor –Wireless –ITS –Ongoing improvements: Automated Enforcement

36. Summary Need to maximize use of existing network Need to maximize use of existing network Proactive approach to address future growth Proactive approach to address future growth Ongoing implementation and evaluation of Best Practices in Managed Lane Strategies Ongoing implementation and evaluation of Best Practices in Managed Lane Strategies

37. Questions?