TO REGISTER OR NOT TO REGISTER?… THAT IS THE QUESTION
Katharine ‘Katie’ Nees, P.E. Deputy Director, Strategic Projects Division Texas Department of Transportation
July 22, 2013 Complex Texas Landscape……..
Operators within Texas
Texas Department of Transportation - Strategic Projects Division (SPD) Texas Department of Transportation - Loop 49 NETRMA Tyler
LP375 Managed Lanes CRRMA Toll Operations Division (TOD) El Paso CTTP: LP1/SH45N/SH130 1-4 Austin SH550 CCRMA Brownsville SH99 (Grand Parkway) Houston SH255 (Camino Columbia) Laredo Regional Mobility Authorities TxDOT CSC SH45SE Austin 183A Austin CTRMA 290 (Manor Expressway ) Austin Regional Toll Authorities
Westpark Tollway Houston SH130 5&6 Katy Managed Lanes Austin Houston Private Dvlpr/Optr LBJ (IH 635) Managed Lanes Dallas Sam Houston Tollway Host Houston County Toll Authorities NTE – 1 & 2W Managed Lanes HCTRA IOP HUB Dallas Hardy Toll Road CSC Houston
Private Developers/Operators
Fort Bend Parkway Houston Dallas North Tollway FBCTRA Dallas Westpark Tollway President G. Bush Turnpike Dallas Houston Sam Rayburn Tollway Dallas Addison Airport Toll Tunnel Transit Authorities Dallas Mtn. Creek Lake Bridge Dallas Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge METRO HOT Lanes METRO Houston NTTA Dallas CSC Dallas Love Field Dallas (TollTag only) DFW International Airport Metropolitan Planning Organizations Dallas (TollTag only)
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Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Managed Lanes Program Anticipated Operational Dates DFW Connector: 2013/2014 LBJ Express Segment 3: 2013 I-820 / SH183 NTE Segments 1 & 2W: 2014 I-30 West: 2015 US 75: 2015 LBJ Segment 1 & 2: 2015 I-30 East: 2015 I-35W / NTE 3A & 3B: 2017 LBJ to US 360: 2017 I-35E / US 67: 2020 I-35W / NTE 3C: TBD I-820 / NTE Segment 4: TBD SH183, Loop 12 & SH114: TBD
3 Program Development Considerations
TEXPress Program Considerations Policies - Regional and Corridor Specific Consistency Regardless of Operator Design Constraints Safety Customers Technology Enforcement
4 Policies
Regional Managed Lane Policies Developed by the North Central Texas Council of Governments Regional Transportation Council Policy Addresses: • Occupants, Toll Rates, Registration and Level of Service Requirements Applies to all Managed Lane Operators • Regional Toll Authorities, Regional Mobility Authorities, Private Operators and Transit Agencies
5 NCTCOG/RTC Regional Managed Toll Lane Policies Policies that Directly Affect the Operational and Registration Decisions Included: A fixed-fee schedule will be applied during the first six months of operation; dynamic pricing will be applied thereafter. High-occupancy vehicles of two or more occupants and vanpools will pay the full rate in the off-peak period. Eligible HOVs must pre-register as part of the HOV pre-declaration process. High-occupancy vehicles with three or more occupants will receive a 50 percent discount during the peak period which will phase out after the air quality attainment maintenance period. Managed Lane occupancy requirements of 3+ may begin on or before June 1, 2016, resulting in the initial implementation of the existing HOV 2+ policy. HOV3+ will be implemented when necessary due to operational constraints. Managed lanes will be enforced manually with technology support. The toll rate will be established to maintain a minimum average corridor speed of 50 miles per hour. During the dynamic pricing phase, travelers will receive rebates if the average speed drops below 35 mph. Rebates will not apply if speed reduction is out of control of the operator.
6 Safety Concerns, Design Constraints and Consistency
Safety Concerns • Traffic weaving at declaration points
• Limited enforcement area • Declaration lanes created decision points at entrance/exit ramps Design Constraints • ROW limited and not often available for declaration lanes on all corridors • Conversion of existing one-lane HOV lanes with declaration lane would be difficult Regional Consistency • Needed a methodology that could be applicable on all
corridors LBJ (I-635) Express Design
7 Migration from In-Lane Solution to Pre-Registration
Need Solution to: Address the regional policy of HOV pre- registration, Address Issues with HOV declaration lanes Support an HOV Regionally Interoperable Customer Base Provide related Customer Service
Lead to the Decision: Mobile-phone based solution and software for Pre-Registration A Regional HOV Hub for processing and transferring Coded Tag Files
8 Technology/Customer – Pre-Registration Concept
Borrowing from SRTA’s success
Developing a Pilot Program under the LBJ and NTE CDAs Mobil -phone Based Solution would:
Allow customers to set up an account a variety of ways (Web, Mobile App, CSC) Use of the mobile app requires a one-time enrollment which can be done by Web, SmartPhone, or CSC HOV Pre-registration status can be: • Updated via Web Access, Smart Phone App, Mobile SMS, CSC • Change 30 minutes prior to departure by phone App or web and can be set for a time period HUB Based system to consolidate and HOV list
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Mobile App Declaration
Benefits Concerns Provides user convenience Making declarations while Minimizes weaving driving Makes enforcement safer and Accessibility easier TxDOT’s access to and Addresses HOT conversion of ownership of data and system the US75 reversible HOV lanes Impact on Regional Partners ICDs and technology details
10 Thank You
Katharine “Katie” Nees, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation Strategic Projects Division [email protected] 214-801-8822
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