G) Metro

File#: 2015-0510, Version: 1

Metro

Board Report

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation

Authori ty One Gateway Plaza

3rd Floor Board Room Los Angeles, CA

AD HOC CONGESTION REDUCTION COMMITTEE

MAY 20, 2015

SUBJECT: METRO EXPRESSLANES CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL (CHP) ENFORCEMENT

ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION

RECOMMENDATION

A. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to execute a three year Funding Agreement No.

ISSUE

FA.CRI15222001 with the CHP to provide enforcement services on the 1-10 and 1-110 ExpressLanes starting in July 2015 and ending June 2018, in the amount of$9,715,383.

A best practice of Express Lanes in operation across the nation is to provide additional dedicated patrols to aid in the enforcement of their programs. In California, enforcement of the Express Lanes is regulated by the California Vehicle Code (CVC). CHP is the designated agency for enforcement action for vehicles that travel on the Express Lanes without a transponder properly mounted in their vehicle, as well as any additional observed violations of the CVC. Currently, Metro has a funding agreement with the CHP to enforce compliance with ExpressLanes requirements that is due to expire at the end of June 2015.

The new Agreement will cover the cost of three dedicated officers on the Express Lanes during AM and PM peak periods as well as additional officers for saturation patrols at random times during the peak on both the 1-10 and 1-110. The funding also covers the costs of a Sergeant to administer and manage the program , Public Safety Dispatchers and mileage and court related expenses associated with this effort.

DISCUSSION

CHP receives an annual funding allocation from the State to cover the cost of routine freeway enforcement including traffic law enforcement, incident response, routine high

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occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane protection, accident investigation, traffic control, and enforcement of any other laws or regulations related to the operation of motor vehicles and/or the protection of life or property on state highways.

This Agreement will provide additional patrols on the Expresslanes beyond their regular coverage. The Agreement contains the following work plan to augment existing CHP patrols:

• Enforcement Times - 5 days per week (Monday- Friday), during commute hours (5am - 9am & 3pm -7pm)

• Number of Officers - 1 full-time Sergeant; 3 officers each on the 1-10 and 1-110 Express lanes

• Up to eight (8) saturation patrols per month, which includes three (3) additional officers on patrol in a corridor during AM or PM peak commute hours

A saturation patrol is a procedure where CHP deploys three additional officers on the Expresslanes during select time periods to enhance enforcement of the Express lanes toll and occupancy requ irements . The increased presence of CHP officers during a specific period assists in deterring violation occurrences in the Expresslanes. The saturation patrol would be conducted during either the AM peak or PM peak hours. This would increase the total number of CHP officers to six during the saturation patrol times.

CHP Performance

CHP has proven to be an invaluable partner in the safe operation and enforcement of the Express lanes. On a daily basis, they help educate users of the Express lanes about the program requirements and continue to provide feedback on how Metro can improve the customer experience and the operation of the Express lanes.

CHP presence is essential in enforcing vehicle occupancy requirements. Even though the Express lanes has a violation enforcement system (VES) that captures the license plates of vehicles in the lanes without a transponder, the VES is not capable of detecting the vehicle occupancy for those vehicles with a transponder. Because customers can receive a toll-free trip if they meet the carpool occupancy requirement and have their switch set accordingly, the VES cannot determine if people are actually being truthful about vehicle occupancy declaration. CHP enforcement provides the visual detection necessary to ensure Expresslanes users have the switch set to accurately

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reflect the vehicle's occupancy. Until there is a reliable method of automated vehicle occupancy detection, CHP's patrol is the only means by which we can enforce the vehicle occupancy requirements in the Expresslanes.

Based on data shown in Figure 1, since the opening of the 1-110 Express lanes in November 2012, CHP has issued 14,454 citations up to February 2015 with 40% of those for toll and transponder violations (vehicles without a transponder or transponder switch set to the incorrect occupancy). In addition, 18% of the citations are for vehicles without license plates or a valid registration.

Figure 2 shows citations issued on the 1-10 Expresslanes since opening in February 2013. Of the 14,776 citations CHP has issued on the corridor, 33% are for toll or transponder violations. Speeding and crossing the double solid white lines/ to make an illegal lane change are the next most frequent citations issued at 18% for each category. Clearly, CHP presence enhances safety within the corridors as well as enforcing the Expresslanes requirements.

The presence of CHP in the Expresslanes also reduces the violation rates. When CHP is patrolling the Expresslanes, the violation rate is 7.89% for the 1-110 and 7.16% for the 1-10. When they are not patrolling, the violation rate increases to 10.39% and 9.79% respectively. This represents a 2.51 to 2.63% increase in the violation rate when CHP is not dedicated to patrolling the Expresslanes which is a substantial number given the fact that there are an average of 1.3 million trips on the Express lanes on a montly basis ..

Figure 1: 1-110 Expresslanes CHP Citations Issued November 2012 to February 2015

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OTHER MOVERS 7%

CROSSING/LANE CHANGE

11%

CELL PHONE 4%

1%

1-110 Citations, Nov 12 - Feb 15 OTHER

CORRECTIBLE

12%

9% PLATES/

REGISTRATION 16%

TOLLS/ TRANSPONDERS

40%

Figure 2: 1-10 Express lanes CHP Citations Issued February 2013 - February 2015

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1-10 Citations, Feb 13 - Feb 15

7%

CROSSING/LANE CHA NGE

18%

CELL PHONE 7%

SEATBELT 2%

DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT

OTHER CORRECTIBLE 7%

18%

TOLLS/ TRANSPONDERS

33%

PLATES/ REGISTRATION

8%

Additional law enforcement on the Metro Expresslanes improves safety as these officers also carry out their normal traffic enforcement duties and are vital to incident management on the Express lanes.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

The total cost for this Agreement over three years is $9,715,383 which is funded by toll revenues . For FY16, $3,100,000 has been included in the FY16 Budget. Since this is a multi-year agreement, for future years, the cost center manager and Executive Officer of Congestion Reduction will be responsible for budgeting the cost in cost center 2220, Congestion Reduction, split between Project 307001 (Express lanes 1-11 0) and Project 307002 (Express lanes 1-1 0) .

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Impact to Budget

The source of funds for this effort will be from toll revenues. No other sources of funds were considered .

AL lERNA liVES CONSIDERED

The Board may decline to approve the recommended action. This alternative is not recommended since the CHP provides the sole means of enforcing the occupancy requirement for the Express lanes and has demonstrated the value of their presence on the Express lanes. Lack of CHP enforcement during peak periods would lead to congested corridors, result in less than optimal enforcement and would contribute to revenue loss as well as poor customer experience.

NEXT STEPS

Upon Board approval , staff will execute the funding Agreement with CHP and continue CHP enforcement of the Express lanes.

Prepared by: Kathleen McCune, Director, (213) 922-7241

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Sha Amiri Executive Officer Congestion Reduction Initiative

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