US DOT Congestion Initiative Urban Partnership Agreements

NTOC Summer Meeting

September 7, 2007

Washington, DC

Jeffrey F. PaniatiAssociate Administrator, Office of OperationsFederal Highway Administration

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Solving the Congestion Problem

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

Congestion Pricing

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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.

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 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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

HOV and HOT Lanes in the U.S.

Source: Texas Transportation Institute

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

USDOT’s Congestion Initiative: A Six-Point Plan1. 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.

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

Preliminary Urban Partners

Miami

Minneapolis -St. Paul

San Francisco

Seattle

NewYorkCity

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Minneapolis – St. Paul Urban PartnerThe 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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Minneapolis - St. Paul Urban Partner

Technology Electronic toll collection ITS Technology to improve transit

services Arterial and freeway management

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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).

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

Seattle Urban Partner

Technology Electronic toll collection Real-time multi-modal traveler information Active traffic managementTransit Enhance bus service and provide

supporting amenities Regional ferry serviceTelecommuting Carpooling and vanpooling programs Telecommuting outreach

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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.

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

New York City Urban Partner

Technology Electronic toll collection.

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

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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

Strategy to Reduce Congestion

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).

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