SCAG Region Value Pricing Project— Regional Express Lane Network Pre-Implementation Assistance REGIONAL CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS (TECHNICAL REPORT) PREPARED FOR: 900 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, 17th FLOOR LOS ANGELES, CA 90017 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH: PREPARED BY: 444 SOUTH FLOWER STREET, SUITE 800 LOS ANGELES, CA 90071 IN ASSOCIATION WITH ECONORTHWEST, MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL, AND UCLA INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION STUDIES Revised February 2018 This page left intentionally blank Page ii Regional Express Lane Network Regional Concept of Operations (Technical Report) Acknowledgements This document was prepared by WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff under contract with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). The preparation of this report was financed in part through grants from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Additional financial assistance was provided through non-federal cash funds from Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), and San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA). The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of these agencies. We would like to thank those individuals and organizations who contributed their time and energy to the project. In particular, SCAG would like to thank the following individuals and organizations: SCAG Staff: Hasan Ikhrata, Executive Director Kome Ajise, Director of Planning Naresh Amatya, PE, Manager of Transportation Planning Annie Nam, Manager of Transportation Finance and Goods Movement (Project Manager) Guoxiong Huang, Manager of Modeling and Forecasting Warren Whiteaker, Program Manager Rajeev Seetharam, PE, Senior Regional Planner (former SCAG staff) Alison Linder, Ph.D., Senior Regional Planner Local Funding Partners Working Group: Shahrzad Amiri, Kathy McCune and Philbert Wong—Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Joe Alcock and Greg Nord—Orange County Transportation Authority Steve Smith—San Bernardino County Transportation Authority John Standiford and Shirley Medina—Riverside County Transportation Commission Peter De Haan—Ventura County Transportation Commission Regional Project Management Team: Angela Jacobs and Jesse Glazer—Federal Highway Administration Joe Rouse—Caltrans Headquarters Caltrans Districts 7, 8 and 12 Transportation Corridors Agency Consultant Team: WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff (prime) Darren Henderson, Project Manager Danny Wu, Deputy Project Manager ECONorthwest Michael Baker International University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Institute of Transportation Studies Disclosure Statement: This document is reflective of discussions and policies at the time of development. As such, some of the elements and priorities discussed in this document may have changed since the document was prepared. The project priorities in this document do not necessarily represent the official positions of the partner agencies. Continuing updates to this document are expected as the region’s express lanes program matures and projects become operational. Regional Express Lane Network Page iii Regional Concept of Operations (Technical Report) This page left intentionally blank Page iv Regional Express Lane Network Regional Concept of Operations (Technical Report) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of Document and Intended Audience ............................................................................ 1 Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Express Lanes Defined .................................................................................................................... 3 Enabling Legislation ........................................................................................................................ 3 Project Area ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Regional Goals and Objectives ....................................................................................................... 6 Consistency within the SCAG Region and California ..................................................................... 7 Organization of the Report ............................................................................................................. 7 2.0 CURRENT REGIONAL HOV AND EXPRESS LANE NETWORK ................................................................. 9 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 9 Existing HOV and Express Lane Facilities in SCAG Region ............................................................ 9 Existing HOV Degradation .............................................................................................. 14 Planned and Proposed Express Lanes in SCAG Region ............................................................... 15 San Bernardino County Transportation Authority I-10 and I-15 Express Lanes ......... 17 Riverside County Transportation Commission 91 Express Lanes Extension ............... 18 Riverside County Transportation Commission I-15 Express Lanes .............................. 18 Orange County I-405 Improvement Project Express Lanes ......................................... 19 Other Completed or Ongoing Express Lanes Related Studies ................................................... 19 3.0 FUTURE NETWORK CHARACTERISTICS .............................................................................................. 21 Regional Express Lanes Network ................................................................................................. 21 Model Scenarios ............................................................................................................. 21 Evaluation Approach and Methodology...................................................................................... 22 Mobility Screening .......................................................................................................... 23 Financial Feasibility Screening ....................................................................................... 24 Averaging the Revenue Maximization and Revenue Minimization Results ............... 26 Regional Express Lane Network Evaluation Results ................................................................... 26 Mobility and Reliability Screening Results .................................................................... 27 Financial Feasibility Screening Results ........................................................................... 28 Composite Mobility and Financial Screening Results ................................................... 29 Regional Express Lane Network Phasing Recommendations .................................................... 31 Preliminary Preferred Express Lane Network and Phasing Recommendations ......... 31 Modified Phasing Recommendations ........................................................................... 32 Regional Express Lane Network Implementation Phasing Plan ................................................. 36 Recommended Network for 2016 RTP/SCS Constrained Plan .................................... 36 Recommended Network for 2016 RTP/SCS Unconstrained Plan ................................ 39 Regional Express Lane Network Page v Regional Concept of Operations (Technical Report) 4.0 FEDERAL AND STATE TOLLING AUTHORIZATION .............................................................................. 41 Federal Express Lane Authorization ............................................................................................ 41 Section 129 General Tolling Program ............................................................................ 41 Section 166 HOV / HOT Lanes ....................................................................................... 42 State Legislative Authorization..................................................................................................... 42 Existing Statewide Authorizing Legislation .................................................................... 43 Metro I-110 / I-10 Express Lanes Authorization ........................................................... 44 RCTC I-15 Express Lanes Authorization ......................................................................... 44 OCTA / RCTC 91 Express Lanes Authorization .............................................................. 45 SBCTA I-10 / I-15 Express Lanes Authorization ............................................................. 45 Assembly Bill 194 ............................................................................................................ 46 Other State Legislative and Regulatory Considerations ............................................................. 46 User Fees ......................................................................................................................... 46 Rate Setting ..................................................................................................................... 48 High-Occupancy Vehicle Lanes ...................................................................................... 48 Clean Air Vehicles ..........................................................................................................