Regional Value Pricing Corridor Evaluation and Feasibility Study Page 1 What Is NCTCOG?
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June 2005 | Regional Value Pricing Corridor Evaluation And Feasibility Study Page 1 What is NCTCOG? The North Central Texas Council of Governments is a voluntary association of cities, counties, school districts, and special districts which was established in January 1966 to assist local governments in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit, and coordinating for sound regional development. It serves a 16-county metropolitan region centered around the two urban centers of Dallas and Fort Worth. Currently the Council has 229 members, including 16 counties, 162 cities, 23 independent school districts, and 28 special districts. The area of the region is approximately 12,800 square miles, which is larger than nine states, and the population of the region is over 5.5 million, which is larger than 30 states. NCTCOG’s structure is relatively simple; each member government appoints a voting representative from the governing body. These voting representatives make up the General Assembly which annually elects a 15- member Executive Board. The Executive Board is supported by policy development, technical advisory, and study committees, as well as a professional staff of 208. NCTCOG’s offices are located in Arlington in the Centerpoint Two Building at 616 Six Flags Drive (approximately one-half mile south of the main entrance to Six Flags Over Texas). North Central Texas Council of Governments P. O. Box 5888 Arlington, Texas 76005-5888 (817) 640-3300 NCTCOG’s Department of Transportation Since 1974 NCTCOG has served as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for transportation for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. NCTCOG’s Department of Transportation is responsible for the regional planning process for all modes of transportation. The department provides technical support and staff assistance to the Regional Transportation Council and its technical committees, which compose the MPO policy-making structure. In addition, the department provides technical assistance to the local governments of North Central Texas in planning, coordinating, and implementing transportation decisions. Prepared in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and the U. S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and Federal Transit Administration. “The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors who are responsible for the opinions, findings, and conclusions presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, or the Texas Department of Transportation.” Regional Value Pricing Corridor Evaluation and Feasibility Study North Central Texas Council of Governments Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary .........................................................................................................5 1.1 Project Initiation ......................................................................................................5 1.2 Defi nition of Value Pricing and Managed Lanes ....................................................5 1.3 Mobility in the Dallas Fort-Worth Region ..............................................................5 1.4 Potential Application of Value Pricing in the Dallas-Fort Worth Region ...............7 1.5 Study Methodology and Steps ................................................................................8 2 Value Pricing History and experience .............................................................................9 2.1 History.....................................................................................................................9 2.2 Value Pricing Facilities and Experience .................................................................10 2.3 Lessons Learned ......................................................................................................18 3 Guide for Applying Value Pricing in the Dallas-Fort Worth Region ...............................22 3.1 Value Pricing Strategies ..........................................................................................22 3.2 Guiding Principles for this Study ............................................................................24 3.3 Screening Criteria for Short-term or Long-Term Consideration ............................26 3.4 10 Facility Evaluation Criteria for Short-Term and Long-Term Consideration .....27 3.5 Other Considerations for Implementing Value Pricing ...........................................43 4 Application of Criteria to Select a Short-Term Demonstration Project ...........................45 4.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................45 4.2 Screening Process to Identify Potential Projects ....................................................45 4.3 Application of the 10 Evaluation Criteria to Identify a Demonstration Project .....48 5 Application of the 10 Criteria for the Long-Term Consideration of Value Pricing .........55 5.1 The “Universe” of Facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Region ...............................55 5.2 Applying the 10 Evaluation Criteria .......................................................................56 Regional Value Pricing Corridor Evaluation and Feasibility Study North Central Texas Council of Governments List of Figures Figure 1-1: Congestion in the Dallas-Fort Worth Region ...............................................................6 Figure 1-2: Existing Transportation Facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Region (2005) ..................7 Figure 2-1: Electronic Toll Collection along SR-91 and Separation of Express Lanes from General Use Lanes ...................................................................11 Figure 2-2: Free Flow Express Lanes Adjacent To Congested General Use Lanes on SR-91 .........11 Figure 2-3: HOT Lane Separated From General Use Lanes ............................................................13 Figure 2-4: Variable Information Sign Showing Dynamic Toll Amount .........................................13 Figure 3-1 .......................................................................................................................................26 Figure 3-2: Examples of Lane Separation Methods .........................................................................39 Figure 3-3: Concrete Barrier on I-394 ..............................................................................................40 Figure 3-4: Tubular Markers on SR 91 ............................................................................................40 Figure 3-5: I-405 At-Grade Buffer Opening ....................................................................................41 Figure 3-6: Upstream View of I-405 At-Grade Slip Ramp ..............................................................41 Figure 3-7: Elevated-T Intersections and Ramps .............................................................................42 Figure 3-8: Grade-Separated Freeway-to-Freeway HOV Connection .............................................42 Figure 4-1: Recommended HOV and Managed HOV/Integrated Tollway Facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Region (Mobility 2025, Amended April 2005) .....................46 Figure 4-2: Potential Short-Term Value Pricing Projects in the Dallas-Fort Worth Region ............47 Figure 5-1: Recommended Transportation Facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Region (Mobility 2025, Amended April 2005) ..........................................................................56 Figure 5-2 Value Pricing Key Decision Points ...............................................................................59 Appendix A .......................................................................................................................................60 Interstate Highway 30/Tom Landry Freeway Managed Facility Operational Plan Proposal to Federal Highway Administration, Value Pricing Pilot Program Tea-21 Section 1216(A) Value Pricing Pilot Program Application Regional Value Pricing Corridor Evaluation and Feasibility Study North Central Texas Council of Governments 1: executive summary 1.1 PROJECT INITIATION Through the combined efforts of the PRC, the best approach was developed for selecting and applying pricing strategies to The North Central Texas Council of transportation projects in the North Central Texas region. Governments (NCTCOG) has conducted a Regional Value Pricing Evaluation Study for 1.2 DEFINITION OF VALUE PRICING AND the Dallas-Fort Worth Region. This project is MANAGED LANES the fi rst of a three-phase study funded in part through a grant from the Federal Highway FHWA describes value pricing, also known as congestion Administration’s (FHWA) Value Pricing pricing or peak-period pricing, as a way of harnessing the power Pilot Program in 2002. With this grant, a of the market and reducing the waste associated with congestion, Regional Value Pricing Project Review using fees or tolls for road use, which vary with the level of Committee (PRC) was established to direct congestion. Fees are typically assessed electronically to eliminate the pursuit of implementation strategies delays associated with manual toll collection facilities. This supporting managed facility concepts concept of assessing relatively higher prices for travel during recommended in the region’s Metropolitan peak periods is the same as that used in many other sectors of Transportation Plan as well as identify new the economy to respond to peak-use demands. Airlines