# Presentation: 718449

## US DOT Congestion Initiative Urban Partnership Agreements

- NTOC Summer Meeting
- September 7, 2007
- Washington, DC

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

## Solving the Congestion Problem

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

## 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.

## 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 **

## 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** **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, TX, on the Katy Freeway - HOV-3 free; HOV-2 is $2 per trip using electronic transponder.

## HOV and HOT Lanes in the U.S.

**Source: Texas Transportation Institute**

## 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.

## 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.

## Preliminary Urban Partners

**Miami**

**Minneapolis -St. Paul**

**San** **Francisco**

**Seattle**

**New**
**York**
**City**

## Congestion Pricing - The Progress

**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***

## 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.

## Minneapolis - St. Paul Urban Partner

_***Technology***_
- Electronic toll collection
- ITS Technology to improve transit services
- Arterial and freeway management

## 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.

## 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).

## Miami Urban Partner

_***Technology***_
- SunPass electronic toll collection.
_***Transit***_
- Operate BRT on HOT lanes.
- Transit facility improvements.
_***Telecommuting***_
- Flex-time incentives.
- Carpooling and vanpooling                        programs.

## Congestion Pricing - The Progress

**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***

## 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.

## 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

## 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.

## 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.

## 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.

## Congestion Pricing - The Progress

**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***

## 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.

## New York City Urban Partner

_***Technology***_
- Electronic toll collection.
_***Transit***_
- Bus facilities and other improvements.
- Initiation of Bus Rapid Transit.
- Regional ferry services.

## Congestion Pricing - The Progress

**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***

## Congestion Pricing – Region Wide Charges

- Current Examples
- Studies in Oregon and Seattle have tested mileage-based fees and peak-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).

## 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

## For More Information

- Visit
- _[www.fightgridlocknow.gov](http://www.fightgridlocknow.gov/)_
- _[www.fhwa.dot.gov/congestion/index.htm](http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/congestion/index.htm)_