managed lanes

2013-05-13: The New York investment rater Moody's says in a new report that toll express or managed lane projects can achieve investment grade ratings, but it will be tough. They call the service provided by toll express lanes (TELs) desirable but discretionary and hence difficult to forecast. TELs can be expected to have generally greater risks  than regular toll projects, the rater says.

2012/12/16: An Archer Western, Granite, Lane team (AGL Constructors) has been chosen for an initial contract for what will eventually be a $4.8 billion 28 mile, 45km rebuild of TX/I-35E adding general purpose and toll express or 'managed' lanes to the freeway. The initial contract is for $1.1b.

2012-09-17: Texas DOT is moving to add a $1.3 billion rebuild/toll lanes project on I-35W to the North Tarrant Express concession. They say in an announcement today they hope to have the entire project under the amended concession contract by year's end.

The Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority (“CRRMA”) a political subdivision of the State of Texas, is soliciting proposals from firms with toll collection systems expertise interested in providing the CRRMA with toll systems integration and maintenance services for use on the Loop 375 César Chávez  - Border Highway Managed Lanes Project (the “Managed Lanes”) and other potential future projects all located in El Paso, Texas.

An Interstate 90 Corridor Planning Council comprising a bunch of different municipalities and agencies has reached a consensus that dynamically priced toll lanes are needed going northwest out of Chicago some 21 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial (JAM) Tollway. And it says the 7.3 miles of the Kennedy Expressway need similar treatment.

A 'special report' on toll managed lanes by Fitch Ratings finds that they maintain substantial traffic at uncongested times, apparently based on their promise of more predictability in trip times. To capture this idea the report is headlined "Paying for predictability: US Managed Lanes Projects."

A study by three Reason researchers using local traffic models suggests over 300 route-miles (1,117 lane miles) of new toll express lanes and 107 route-miles of upgraded arterials plus more bus transit and other improved management in southeast Florida (greater Miami) can reduce delays by 13% or $1.35b/year in time and fuel savings as compared with present officially adopted transit-oriented plans.

TxDOT has announced that a Cintra/Meridiam/Dallas police/fireman's pension system team are the preferred investors in a 52 year toll concession to finance, build, operate and toll "The New LBJ" or I-635 Managed Lanes Project, an expansion to 14 travel lanes from 8 of the major east-west expressway across the northern part of Dallas.Operating under the pro

The Illinois Tollway board voted today to implement the Governor Blagojevich's Congestion Relief Program, Phase Two which includes difficult "Green Lanes." The plan was announced by the Governor's office last month without any known feasibility study, and the Tollway has now taken on the job of making it work.

Dallas area officials intervened quickly this week to neutralize the potential danger to their huge toll financing plans from the anti-toll bills of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (Repub Tx). They wrote to her (see NCTCOG-KBH) with all the customary flattery, thanking her for her "continued outstanding leadership" etc.