Miami I-95 express lanes tolling starts

Branded "95 EXPRESS" a pair of toll express lanes started tolling 6am Friday Dec 5 northbound on I-95 between FL836 near downtown Miami and the Golden Glades Interchange, a distance of about 13km (8 miles). Southbound twin lanes will be tolling in about a year and the lanes more than doubled in length by late 2010. The Golden Glades IC is where the I-95 and Florida Turnpike mainline split and the Palmetto Expressway (FL826) meet in a complex junction in North Miami Beach/Opa-Locka.

The first stage is basically a 'pipe' - in one end and out the other, although at both ends there are a couple of entry and exit directions. The second stage will provide two intermediate entry/exit points. The twin toll express lanes are separated from mix traffic lanes by a buffer zone  of twin solid stripes with a line of breakable poles down the middle.

Tolls are being dynamically priced - varied as needed to keep traffic in the lanes moving at a speed of at least 80km/hr (50mph).

Called HOT lanes (High Occupancy and green vehicles free, others Tolled) they will provide free rides to registered vanpools, registered carpools of 3+, and registered hybrid vehicles. Motorcycles and emergency vehicles do not have to register to use them toll-free. Buses of several types can also use the lanes toll-free – Miami-Dade and Broward County express and regular transit, public school and other buses. Trucks with 3+ axles will not be allowed to use the express lanes.

Tolls will be paid by cars with just the driver, or driver and one passenger. They will need a SunPass transponder.

A new bus rapid transit service is part of the project.

95 Express northbound in stage 1 can be entered from the left lane just north of I-195/FL112 and continues to the Golden Glades Interchange. Exit is possible near NW151 Street or further north on I-95 over the big long flyover.

Southbound will also have two HOT lanes which are due to begin tolling about a year hence or late 2009. This involves significant work to on and off ramps as wel as restriping.

The highway along most of this distance was 5 lanes each direction carrying an average around 290k veh/day. One of those five lanes was an HOV lane. The extra lane is created by taking up shoulder and trimming lane widths from 12ft (3.66m) to 11ft (3.35m).

A second phase will extend the the four HOT lanes north fromt he Golden Glades IC to I-595 in Fort Lauderdale - to a length of 34km (21 miles).

Further phases could provide direct connections to I-395 at the south end and extend the lanes north to Broward Blvd in Ft Lauderdale.

Toll system provider is TransCore, which worked on the world's first dynamically priced lanes opened about ten years ago on I-15 south of San Diego.

The marketing slogan for the project is "Less Stop More Go."

Average speeds in peak hours are presently about 30mph (50km/hr) so the HOT lanes should almost halve travel times.

The project also involves:

- improved traveler information (511) service

- rapid incident detectiona nd response including dedicated TV coverage, troopers and service patrols on call

- dynamic message signs

- ramp signals

Deborah Rivera of Florida DOT is the project engineer in charge.

http://www.95express.com

TOLLROADSnews 2008-12-08