Managed Lanes CE 550: Advanced Highway Design Damion Pregitzer
Background • VMT has increased 70% in last 20 years • Highway Capacity increase only 0.3% • DOTs and MPOs can’t keep up with growing need
Transportation Issues • Construction Costs • Right-of-Way Constraints • Environmental Concerns • Social Impacts • Economic Impacts
What are managed Lanes? • “Freeway within a Freeway” • High Degree of Flexibility • 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”
Management Strategies • Pricing • Tolls • Congestion Pricing • Vehicle Eligibility • Type • Minimum Occupancy • Access Control • Express Lanes • Dynamic Closures
Manage Lane Applications
Active Management • Primary difference from traditional strategies • Use to achieve free-flow conditions • Defined Performance Measures • Example: raise toll to achieve desired traveling speeds
Why Managed Lanes? • Increasing VMT and Congestion • Funding Shortages • Provides drivers multiple transportation options
Success Stories
State Route 91: Orange County, California • Project Goal: Provide motorists a congestion-free alternative and maintain financial viability of the lanes.
State Route 91: Orange County, California • Toll Express Lanes • 10 Miles in center median of SR91 • 2 Lanes in each direction • Fully automated; must have registered account • Privately developed • Tolls vary by time of day
QuickRide: Houston, Texas • Project Goal: Utilize available HOV capacity while preserving bus operating speeds
QuickRide: Houston, Texas • HOT Lanes • I-10, 13 mile single lane reversible • US 290, 13.5 mile single lane reversible • Fully automated; must have registered account • Allows 2 occupant vehicles access during 3+ restriction (added fee) • $2.00 per trip flat fee • Operates only during peak hours
Interstate 15: San Diego, California • Project Goal: Utilize available HOV capacity to fund new transit service in the corridor
Interstate 15: San Diego, California • 8 mile HOT lane • 2 lane reversible • Fully automated; must have registered account • Tolls vary dynamically • Tolls rates based on level of congestion in the lanes
New Jersey Turnpike: Dual-Dual Section, New Jersey • Project Goal: Enhance safety and improve operations through increased flexibility
Best Practices in Managed Lanes • Planning and Project Development • Facility Monitoring and Evaluation • Life-Cycle Considerations • Combination of Strategies
Planning and Project Development • Agency Collaboration • Project covers multiple jurisdictions • Not Typically in LTRP • Affected Stakeholders • Transit Agencies • Regional transportation authorizes • Toll Agencies • Law Enforcement personnel • Court Personnel • Environmental Groups • Special Interest Groups • Citizens
Planning and Project Development • 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
Planning and Project Development • 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
Planning and Project Development • Establishing Threshold Values • Threshold values • Performance measure: Speed, Volume, Delay • Changes to price and/or occupancy allowed
Planning and Project Development • 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
Facility Operations with Continual Monitoring • Project Flexibility • Alter operations as warranted • Dynamic toll changes • Moveable barriers • Larger design vehicles • Design roadway for all potential future uses (Rail)
Facility Operations with Continual Monitoring • 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
Life-Cycle Considerations • Maintenance of actively managed roadway in future • Sustainable performance • Reassessment of Managed Lane strategies
Life-Cycle Considerations • Example: Colorado DOT
New Challenges • Access Design • Driver Information and Signing • Enforcement • Revenue Generation and Equity • Legislative Authority • New Institutional Arrangements • Analysis Techniques and Demand Forecasting models • Design Flexibility • Integrated Transpiration Opportunities • Technology
New Challenges • Access Design • Ingress and Egress points • Enforcement considerations • Spacing of at-grade ramp connections • Length of weaving sections • Integration with existing network
New Challenges • Driver Information and Signing • Ingress / Egress Locations • Occupancy Requirements • Operating Hours • Toll Amounts • Operating Agencies • Electronic message boards
New Challenges • Enforcement • Protects integrity of pricing strategies • Complexity of design creates challenges • Simplify verification / identification • Dedicated Law Enforcement personnel • Potential legislative changes
New Challenges • Revenue Generation and Equity • Multiple agencies • Budget • Economic impact • Community goals
New Challenges • Legislative Authority • State / National Laws • Automated Enforcement • Cooperation between agencies • Private Developer involvement
New Challenges • Analysis Techniques and Demand Forecasting Models • Inclusion into LTRP • Scenario testing • Data collection • Air quality estimation
New Challenges • Integrated Transportation Opportunities • Need for complex combinations of strategies to meet future growth • Regional planning efforts (DOT, MPO, RPA) • New methodologies (BRT)
New Challenges • Technology • Not a limiting factor • Wireless • ITS • Ongoing improvements: Automated Enforcement
Summary • Need to maximize use of existing network • Proactive approach to address future growth • Ongoing implementation and evaluation of Best Practices in Managed Lane Strategies
Questions?
