Urban Road Pricing:US DOT Congestion Initiative and Urban Partnerships

14th World Congress on ITSIBEC Special Session

October 10, 2007

Beijing Exhibition CentreBeijing, CHINA

Jeffrey F. PaniatiAssociate Administrator, Office of Operations

Federal Highway Administration

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Congestion Pricing – The Options

HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess

Capacity)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(New)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(Existing)

Cordon or

Area Pricing

Region - Wide

Charges

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Congestion Pricing - Today

HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess

Capacity)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(New)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(Existing)

Cordon or

Area Pricing

Region - Wide

Charges

San Diego SR91Minneapolis (California)Denver

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Congestion Pricing of Excess HOV Facility Capacity (HOT Lanes)

Fees for SOV use vary based on traffic levels:

I-394 MnPass Express Lanes in Minneapolis (dynamic pricing, real-time). I-15 FasTrak Lanes In San Diego (quasi-dynamic, every 6 minutes).I-25 Express Lanes In Denver (variable pricing) all using electronic transponders.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Congestion Pricing of New Lanes

SR 91, Orange County, CA

Four new lanes in median, 10 miles

Tolls vary according to a fixed schedule -- $1.25 to $10.00

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

USDOT’s Congestion Initiative: A Six-Point Plan Relieve urban congestion. Unleash private sector investment resources. Promote operational and technological

improvements. Establish a “Corridors of the Future”

competition. Target major freight bottlenecks and expand

freight policy outreach. Accelerate major aviation capacity projects

and provide a future funding framework.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Urban Partners

Miami

Minneapolis -St. Paul

San Francisco

Seattle

NewYorkCity

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Congestion Pricing – Urban Partners

HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess

Capacity)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(New)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(Existing)

Cordon or

Area Pricing

Region - Wide

Charges

Minneapolis – St. Paul

Miami

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Minneapolis-St. Paul Urban Partner

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Miami Urban Partner

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).

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Congestion Pricing – Urban Partners

HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess

Capacity)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(New)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(Existing)

Cordon or

Area Pricing

Region - Wide

Charges

San Francisco

Seattle

Minneapolis – St. Paul

Miami

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Seattle Urban Partner

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

San Francisco Urban Partner

Variable pricing on Doyle Drive, the 1.5 mile elevated roadway leading to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Will charge an extra 1-way-fee above the $5 toll on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Revenues will help pay to reconstruct the 70-year old Doyle Drive.

Creation of Integrated Mobility Accounts. Variable pricing of on/off-street parking and city-

owned garage spaces in downtown San Francisco.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Congestion Pricing – Urban Partners

HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess

Capacity)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(New)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(Existing)

Cordon or

Area Pricing

Region - Wide

Charges

New York City

San Francisco

Seattle

Minneapolis – St. Paul

Miami

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

New York City Urban Partner

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Congestion Pricing - The Future

HOV to HOT Conversion (Use Excess

Capacity)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(New)

Variably or Dynamically Priced Lanes

(Existing)

Cordon or

Area Pricing

Region - Wide

Charges

New York City

San Francisco

Seattle

Minneapolis – St. Paul

Miami

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Congestion Pricing – Region Wide Charges

Current ExamplesStudies in Oregon and Seattle have

tested mileage-based fees and peak-period driving charges.

Six State pilot with approximately 2500 participants to start in early 2008.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

For More Information

Visit www.fightgridlocknow.gov www.fhwa.dot.gov/congestion/index.htm