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US DOT Congestion Initiative Urban Partnership Agreements

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Slide 1

US DOT Congestion Initiative Urban Partnership Agreements

National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC) Summer Meeting

September 7, 2007
Washington, DC

Jeffrey F. Paniati
Associate Administrator, Office of Operations
Federal Highway Administration

Slide 2

Solving the Congestion Problem

  • Shape Demand
  • Invest in New Capacity
  • Operate System at Peek Performance
  • Bring Supply and Demand into Alignment -- Congestion Pricing

Slide 3

Congestion Pricing - Bringing Supply and Demand into Alignment

  • Failure to properly price travel on highways is a root cause of congestion.
    • The price of highway travel (gas taxes, registration fees, etc.) bears little or no relationship to the cost of congestion.
    • Unlike other public utilities, the public expectation is that the "service" is free or does not change with changes in demand.
  • Rationing transportation services via pricing is more efficient than rationing by delay.

Slide 4

Congestion Pricing - The Options

An image displaying a line arrow going in the right direction. The following text is displayed above this line: HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess Capacity), Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (New), Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (Existing), Cordon or Area Pricing, and Region-Wide Charges.

Slide 5

Congestion Pricing of Excess High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Facility Capacity (High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes)

Fees for Single-Occupancy-Vehicle (SOV) use vary based on traffic levels - I-394 MnPass Express lanes in Minneapolis (dynamic pricing, real-time), I-15 FasTrack Lanes in San Diego (quasi-dynamic, every 6 minutes), and I-25 Express Lanes in Denver (variable pricing) all using electronic transponders.

QuickRide in Houston, Texas, on the Katy Freeway - HOV-3 free; HOV-2 is $2 per trip using electronic transponder.

I-394 MnPass Express lanes in Minneapolis I-15 FasTrack Lanes in San Diego California I-25 Express Lanes in Denver QuickRide in Houston, TX, on the Katy Freeway

Slide 6

HOV and HOT Lanes in the U.S.

A United States map displaying HOV Lane Locations, HOT Lane Locations, and Planned HOT Lanes.

Slide 7

USDOT's Congestion Initiative: A Six-Point Plan

  1. Relieve Urban Congestion.
  2. Unleash private sector investment resources.
  3. Promote operational and technological improvements.
  4. Establish a "Corridors of the Future" competition.
  5. Target major freight bottlenecks and expand freight policy outreach.
  6. Accelerate major aviation capacity projects and provide a future funding framework.

Slide 8

Urban Partnership Agreements - Congestion Pricing

  • Congestion Pricing is a key component of the USDOT Congestion Initiative (Relieve Urban Congestion element) - Urban Partnerships.
  • Integrated "4T' Strategy.
    • TOLLING (pricing) - Key Element
      • Direct user charge based on use of facility; varies based on level of congestion
      • Toll collection via electronic means (no booths)
    • Transit
    • Telecommuting/Travel Demand Management
    • Technology
  • About $850 million in USDOT Discretionary Funds.

Slide 9

Preliminary Urban Partners

An image of a United States map displaying the preliminary urban partners: Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis - St. Paul, New York City, and Miami.

Slide 10

Congestion Pricing - The Progress

An image displaying a line arrow going in the right direction. The following text is displayed above this line: HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess Capacity), Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (New), Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (Existing), Cordon or Area Pricing, and Region-Wide Charges. The following test is displayed below the line: Minneaspolis - St. Paul, and Miami which is directly under HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess Capacity) and Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (New) and is highlighted.

Slide 11

Minneapolis - St. Paul Urban Partner

The Big T (Tolling/Pricing)

  • I-35W between downtown Minneapolis and the southern suburbs.
    • Existing HOV lanes converted to dynamically-priced HOT lanes (similar to existing MnPass operation).
    • Existing HOT lanes extended.
    • Shoulder lanes dynamically priced.

Slide 12

Minneapolis - St. Paul Urban Partner

Technology

  • Electronic toll collection
  • Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Technology to improve transit services
  • Arterial and freeway management

Slide 13

Minneapolis - St. Paul Urban Partner

Transit

  • Establish a Bus Rapid Transit lane into downtown Minneapolis.
  • Advanced BRT stations and park and ride facilities for the North metro suburbs along the I-35W corridor.
  • "Transit advantage" bypass lane/ramp.
  • Contra-flow transit lanes in downtown Minneapolis.

Slide 14

Miami Urban Partner

The Big T (Tolling/Pricing)

  • 21 miles of HOT lanes on I-95 from Fort Lauderdale to downtown Miami.
  • Raise HOV limit from HOV2 to HOV3+.
  • Expand 10-lane highway to 12 lanes (by reducing the width of the existing lanes from 12 to 11 feet and using a portion of the shoulder).

 

Slide 15

Miami Urban Partner

Technology

  • SunPass electronic toll collection

Transit

  • Operate Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on HOT lanes.
  • Transit facility improvements.

Telecommuting

  • Flex-time incentives.
  • Carpooling and vanpooling programs.

Slide 16

Congestion Pricing - The Progress

An image displaying a line arrow going in the right direction. The following text is displayed above this line: HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess Capacity), Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (New), Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (Existing), Cordon or Area Pricing, and Region-Wide Charges. The following test is displayed below the line : Minneaspolis - St. Paul, Miami, which is directly under HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess Capacity) and Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (New); and Seattle and San Francisco which is directly under Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (Existing) and is highlighted.

Slide 17

Seattle Urban Partner

The Big T (Tolling/Pricing)

  • Variable pricing on the State Route 520 floating bridge.
    • King County crossing that currently carries about 160,000 people per day between Seattle and its Eastside suburbs.
    • Tolls on the existing bridge are intended to help pay for the new bridge.

Slide 18

Seattle Urban Partner

Technology

  • Electronic toll collection
  • Real-time multi-modal traveler information
  • Active traffic management

Transit

  • Enhance bus service and provide supporting amenities
  • Regional ferry service

Telecommuting

  • Carpooling and vanpooling programs
  • Telecommuting outreach

Slide 19

San Francisco Urban Partner

The Big T (Tolling/Pricing)

  • Variable pricing on Doyle Drive, the 1.5 mile elevated roadway leading to the Golden Gate Bridge.
  • Will charge an extra one-way-fee above the $5 toll on the Golden Gate Bridge.
  • Revenues will help pay to reconstruct the 70-year old Doyle Drive.

Slide 20

San Francisco Urban Partner

Technology

  • Electronic toll collection.
  • SFgo Arterial Traffic Management System/Traffic Controller Upgrades.
  • 511 Upgrades
  • Creation of Integrated Mobility Accounts.
  • Dynamic message signs indicating current toll rates.

Slide 21

San Francisco Urban Partner

Transit

  • Improvements to Regional Ferry Service.
  • Improved Bus Service, including Bus Rapid Transit.

Telecommuting

  • Variable pricing of on/off-street parking and city-owned garage spaces in downtown San Francisco.
  • Telecommuting outreach.

Slide 22

Congestion Pricing - The Progress

An image displaying a line arrow going in the right direction. The following text is displayed above this line: HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess Capacity), Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (New), Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (Existing), Cordon or Area Pricing, and Region-Wide Charges. The following test is displayed below the line : Minneaspolis - St. Paul, Miami, which is directly under HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess Capacity) and Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (New); Seattle and San Francisco which is directly under Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (Existing); and New York City which is displayed directly under Cordon or Area Pricing and is highlighted.

Slide 23

New York City Urban Partner

The Big T (Tolling/Pricing)

  • Will charge drivers $8 and Trucks $21 a day to enter or leave Manhattan below 86th Street on weekdays during the workday.
  • Those who drive only within the congestion zone would pay $4 a day for cars, $5.50 for trucks.

Slide 24

New York City Urban Partner

Technology

  • Electronic toll collection.

Transit

  • Bus facilities and other improvements.
  • Initiation of Bus Rapid Transit.
  • Regional ferry services.

Slide 25

Congestion Pricing - The Progress

An image displaying a line arrow going in the right direction. The following text is displayed above this line: HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess Capacity), Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (New), Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (Existing), Cordon or Area Pricing, and Region-Wide Charges. The following test is displayed below the line : Minneaspolis - St. Paul, Miami, which is directly under HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess Capacity) and Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (New); Seattle and San Francisco which is directly under Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes (Existing); and New York City which is displayed directly under Cordon or Area Pricing. The Region-Wide Charges is highlighted.

Slide 26

Congestion Pricing - Region Wide Charges

  • Current Examples
    • Studies in Oregon and Seattle have tested mileage-based fees and peek-period driving charges.
    • Nationwide Truck Pricing in Germany, Austria and Switzerland - Automated weight-distance truck tolls across their national highways (Note: Sets the stage for area-wide congestion pricing).

Slide 27

USDOT/FHWA Next Steps

  • Promote HOV to HOT Conversions through Tailored Technical Assistance
  • Urban Partners
    • Provide Direct Support to the Urban Partners
    • Harness and Share Experiences
  • Provide General Resource Material - Tailored Workshops and Seminars; Reference Material
    • Value Pricing Pilot Program Lessons Learned
    • Model Pricing Legislation
    • "Making the Case" Outreach and Technical Support

Slide 28

For More Information

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