San Fran Bay Area to toll 1270km (790mi) of HOV lanes, build another 440km (275mi) in $4.8b project

Illustrating what anti-toll politicians on Capitol Hill like House transport chair James Oberstar (Dem MN) are up against in trying to stem the tide of tolling, the major institutions of the San Francisco Bay Area this month have agreed, without any serious dissent, to progressively implement tolling on about 1270 lane-km (790 lane-miles) of high occupant vehicle (HOV) lanes on Bay Area expressways - or as they say over there - in the carpool lanes of area freeways. In addition another 440 lane-km (275 lane-miles) would be built. This will create the largest network of HOT lanes (High Occupancy and Toll) lanes in the US.

Capital cost is an estimated $4.8b.

The Los Angeles area with the world's largest HOV lanes network is already committed to an initial conversion to a tolling and carpool mix (HOT lanes) on some of the busiest expressways (I-10, I-110). The Washington DC/Baltimore area has HOT lanes under construction on VA/I-495 and on MD/I-95 and committed on VA/I-395/95. Right in the Oberstar backyard in Minneapolis MN HOT lanes operate successfully on I-394 west of the downtown and are committed on I-35W south of the central business district.

While spouting off loudly out of his Capitol Hill office against toll financing as a reactionary device of the Bush administration Oberstar has been quite silent about the implementation of tolls in the principal metro area of his own state.

San Francisco

Meeting July 23 the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) representing about a hundred cities and counties in the 7m population San Francisco area approved both a longterm plan incorporating tolling on all the area's HOV lanes (conversion to HOT lanes) and a set of principles for their operation negotiated with Caltrans (state DOT), state police (CHP) and county congestion management agencies.

The principles statement says that the new HOT Network must provide:

- increased vehicle and passenger throughput and reduce delays

- an efficient, consistent, seamless system for users

- new options for travelers

- implement the longterm plan using rapid implementation approach

- use toll revenues to operate and maintain the network, help in financing the extensions, and finance improved bus service

The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) a subsidiary of MTC will do toll collection. Toll bridge revenues of BATA may be pledged as security for financing of the HOT lanes projects, the adopted principles say. BATA operates seven toll bridges around San Francisco Bay.

A preliminary financing plan by PB and ECONorthwest projects toll revenues in the 2015-2019 in the range $105m to $150m/yr, and $295m to $620m/yr 2025-2029.

Over 30 years aggregate tolls are put in the range $25b to $37b. Operating costs are put at $2.7b over those 30 years for strong operating profitability.

see http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/hov/ on plans for HOT lanes

agenda item for MTC board of directors http://apps.mtc.ca.gov/events/agendaView.akt?p=1116

financing plan http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/hov/Task_11_Financing_Plan.pdf

TOLLROADSnews 2008-07-31