San Diego Express Lanes zoom

It took just a few hours to sell the first 500 "ExpressPass" $50/mth permits for solo drivers on I-15 in San Diego last month in the launch of the first express-lanes buy-in program on a publicly owned US highway. SR-91 Express Lanes, the investor-built project in Orange County that opened at the end of 1995 was of course the first example of a toll operation comingling tollpayers and toll-free multiple occupant or HOV vehicles — see pXXXXX. First suggested by Robert Poole of the Reason Foundation and Gordon Fielding and Dan Klein of the University of Cal Irvine, the express or HOT-lanes idea was pushed to fruition by innovative officials such as Carl Williams of Caltrans, John Berg of FHWA and John Duve and Mario Oropeza of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) with Wilbur Smith & Assoc assisting.

ExpressPass for what is dubbed "Premium Travel" is being conducted on a 13km-long pair of barrier-separated reversible lanes that have been used as rush-hour HOV lanes since their construction in 1988 in the middle of the 10-lane I-15 expwy that is the main route into central San Diego (metro pop 2.7m) from the north. The 10 mixed traffic lanes carry around 260k v/d which flows at LOS-F (for 'failure') for about 3 to 4 rush hours morning and evening — av speed 56km/h. The two central lanes have carried traffic at an average 105km/h for a time saving of 5-7mins but as HOV lanes have only carried a miserable 9.6k v/d — 4.8k v/d/lane compared to 26k v/d/lane in the mixed traffic lanes.

Rationale for the buy-in is to make better use of the spare capacity in the central lanes without so loading the lanes that congestion develops. The scheme has $8m of federal support to provide data on the project, study driver reactions and to encourage similar innovations elsewhere. It is expected to generate $3m to $6m/yr revenue. It has started with windshield stickers to indicate eligibility but will progress in the fall of 1997 to the use of electronic transponders (e-tags) and video enforcement.

Waiting list: Project manager Mario Oropeza of SANDAG told us he has a waiting list of another 600 motorists who want to buy the passes and that more will be sold probably in February, perhaps at a higher price, until the lanes reach maximum capacity while still maintaning LOS-C, approx 100 km/h speed. As the project unfolds SANDAG plans to vary the monthly pass fees, then after e-tags are in use to go to more flexible pricing within the month and possibly to fully dynamic congestion pricing, though this will dependent on the consultants' recommendations.

SANDAG has said that three other HOV facilities are likely candidates for a similar transition from HOV to buy-in Express lanes if I-15 is successful — the major coastal I-5 and the two largest east-west arteries I-8 and SR-94.

The central I-15EL roadway will be busy later this year. It is also the site for the demonstration of hands-off/feet-off driving or an Atomated Highway System (AHS). Magnetic spikes are being placed in the center of lanes for steering and radar control is being readied. The AHS work occurs 9am to 3pm when the lanes are closed to regular traffic. (Contact Mario Oropeza 619 595 5300 mor@SANDAG.cog.ca.us)