HOT Washington DC area

HOT

Washington DC area

Interest in HOT is warming in WDC. Former Virginia gov, now senator Charles Robb proposed legislation that would allow toll buy-in to the region’s HOV lanes: “This legislation would permit single drivers to use HOV lanes, if they pay a toll, and if the region agrees to spend the proceeds on trnasp. In this way drivers would have more options than they do today and the rgeion would have more transp revenue...I realize that tolls are controversial, and part of the controversy comes from the fact that toll collection can slow down traffic. This legislation abrs the use of tolls if they would result in slowing down drivers. There’s no reason the region couldn’t collect tolls through advanced technology...” (US Senate 3/9/98) The senator then managed to mix up ETC and HOT lanes, but no matter. He was the first politician in the area to advocate toll buy-in on the area’s extensive but underised HOV system, and to propose the enabling legislation. Unfortunately it was attached to a dubious proposal for a regional transp authority that is unlikely to go very far.

Orski ITE panel: Ken Orski who led the recent Inst of Transp Engineers task force on HOT lanes (see TRnl#23 Jan 98 p1) was invited to speak at a recent meeting of area transp policymakers, and generated considerable interest. The head of the local MPO Ron Kirby said toll buy-in was “something we should be considering.” The meeting produced a detailed, quite long and well-written report in the WASHINGTON POST (3/19/98), which was picked up by radio and TV. Orski was quoted as summing up the HOT lanes as “a win-win situation for everyone” since they “provide a premium travel option for people in a hurry and generate revenue...” Examples of HOT lanes were described. The Lexus lane thing was raised but knocked down by Michael Replogle of EDF, and other locals were quoted favorably.

A VDOT spokesman Joan Morris was quoted as saying a survey of motorisy opinion showed about an equal split for and against the idea. (Contact Kenneth Orski 202 775 0311)