Minnesotas Congestion Pricing Program Road User Charging Conference January, 2009 By Bernie Arseneau Minnesota (USA) Department of Transportation

Congestion Pricing In Minnesota Opened 11 mile High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane on I-394 in 2005 Opening new 16 mile HOT lane in two phases on I-35W in 2009 and 2010 on Congestion pricing brand name: MnPASS

Our First HOT lane on I mile corridor 3 mile barrier separated reversible section 8 mile diamond lane section 5 EB and 6 WB access points in diamond lane section Access in diamond lane controlled through signing and striping Carpools, transit and motorcycles free –No transponders for Carpools Fully electronic & dynamically priced

Diamond Lane Design

Long Path Toward a HOT Lane Old Highway 12 Converted to Interstate Rancorous debate on conversion to I-394 Construction started in 1982…,Opened in 1992 –Peak period HOV (diamond lane) –Dedicated 3 mile HOV reversible section Suffered from Empty Lane Syndrome 2002 HOV lane study –Should it HOV lane become General Purpose Lane? 2003 HOV to HOT conversion legislation 2003 Awarded design/build/operate contract 2005 MnPASS HOT Lane successfully opens

I-394 MnPASS Project Goals 1.Improve I-394 efficiency 2.Maintain free flow speeds for transit and carpoolers 3.Use excess revenues to improve highway and transit in corridor 4.Employ new technologies for pricing and enforcement

MnPASS Innovations First Toll Road in Minnesota Public-Private Partnership for HOT lanes Minnesotas first self funded transportation project Tolling on lanes directly adjacent to non-barrier separated lanes with multiple access points Full dynamic pricing on multiple consecutive roadway segments Technology applications assist in enforcement, read/write transponders and enforcement readers

Public Involvement was Key Community Task Force –Advise Commissioner of Transportation on: Hours of Operation Transponder Safety and Enforcement Toll Rates Dynamic Message Signs Public Outreach Expected Revenues Project Evaluation Type of Vehicles Allowed Access Points/Traffic Operations Outreach and education

Tolled Trips Tolled trips (Year 1) May 05 - April 06 (Year 2) May 06- April 07 (Year 3) May 07- April 08 Tolled Trips 874,154908,899 (3.9% growth) 942,348 (3.6% growth) Tolls Collected $575,499$1,057,334$1,083,098 Average Toll$0.65 $1.16$1.15

Concept Adoption (transponder leases) Opening Day 9,441 Today: 11,912 Active Transponders

MnPASS Users Satisfied 95% satisfaction with all electronic tolling 85% satisfaction with traffic speed in lane 76% satisfaction with dynamic pricing 66% satisfaction with safety of merging

Establishing the Toll Price Min: $0.25 Max $8,00 Price based on HOT lane traffic conditions only Data from sensors in lane every ½ mi Price updated every 3 minutes Price is set off customizable rate tables –Existing Price, Level of Service, and Rate of Change determine New Price Price based on worst traffic density point downstream of entrance Pricing during set hours only (i.e. not 24x7)

Safety Improves Before OpeningAfter Opening

Corridor Conditions Improve I-394 MnPASS lanes peak hour volumes increased 9 to 33% Total I-394 peak hour roadway volumes increased by up to 5% 98% of time speeds above 50 mph Travel speeds in the general purpose lanes increased by 2 to 15 percent Transit ridership and carpools levels increase

MnPASS Enforcement Strategy Goal: Violation rate <10% 1.Convert violators to paying customers 2.Measure compliance, target problems 3.Be present 4.Provide technology to enforce Results: Violation rates are <10%

Technology Provided to Enforce MnPASS

I-394 Conclusions Important to get the project right HOV/HOT options offer CHOICE Public acceptance is high Makes better use of HOV lanes GP lanes also work better Benefits Transit and Carpools Success helped create the next opportunity

I-35W MnPASS Express Lane Funded by US DOTs UPA Initiative, includes: –Conversion of existing HOV to HOT (10 mi) –Construction of new HOT lane (4 miles) –Conversion of shoulder to dynamic PDSL lane (2 miles) –Extension of HOT lane (2 miles)

PDSL/Managed Lanes: Driver Views

PDSL : Closed

PDSL : Open

Comparison of MnPASS Corridors I-394I-35W Length11 miles16 miles O-D Pattern Suburb to CBDSuburb to Suburb & Suburb to CBD ADT143,000 Max204,000 Max Transit13,451 riders/day11,821 riders/day HOT design 8 miles open 3 miles barrier 14 miles –open 2 miles shoulder Managed corridor Access75% closed75% open

Comparison MnPASS Corridors (cont.) I-394I-35W Enforcement3 agencies Adequate shoulders 1 agency Limited shoulders Violation Rate30%+ (before) <10% (after) 50%+ (before) 10% (goal for after) Cost$10 M$3.5 M + TBD Toll rangesMin: $0.25/Max: $8Min: $0.25 Max: $8 Bottleneck Enhancements Add GP capacity after Add GP capacity before ControversyLotsLittle

Whats Next for MN Congestion Pricing? By 2010 all existing HOV lanes converted to HOT Seeking MnPASS expansion opportunities under several design concepts: –2 mile extension of I-35W HOT lane in 2011 –Studying managed/priced shoulder lanes on I-94 for deployment –Development of MnPASS lane using movable barrier Concept developed, in modeling study now –More dynamic shoulders under study

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