March 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Governing Legislation ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 1-2 1.1.1 Existing Florida Statutes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 1-2 1.1.2 Florida Administrative Code ................................................................................................................................................................... 1-3 1.1.3 Directives ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1-3 1.2 Stakeholders ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1-3 1.2.1 FDOT Central Office .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1-4 1.2.2 FDOT District 7 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 1-4 1.2.3 Federal Highway Administration ........................................................................................................................................................... 1-4 1.2.4 Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise ................................................................................................................................................................. 1-4 1.2.5 Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority ....................................................................................................................................... 1-5 1.2.6 Transit Agencies.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1-5 1.2.7 Stakeholder Coordination ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1-5 1.3 Goals and Objectives .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1-8 1.4 Using the RCTO Document ................................................................................................................................................................................ 1-8 2 OVERVIEW OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM .......................................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 System Description ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Previous Studies ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 2-3 2.3 Needs Assessment ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 2-4 2.4 Existing Traffic Management/ITS .................................................................................................................................................................. 2-7 2.5 Existing Express Bus Service .......................................................................................................................................................................... 2-8 2.5.1 Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) ...................................................................................................................................... 2-8 2.5.2 Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) ...................................................................................................................................... 2-8 3 FUTURE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................ 3-1 3.1 TBX EL Network .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Planned Improvements ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 3-1 4 EXPRESS LANES CONCEPT ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Design ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 Design Criteria ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 4-1 4.1.2 Typical Sections ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4-2 4.1.3 Separation .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4-2 4.1.4 Access ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4-3 i 4.1.5 Express Lanes Signage ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4-4 4.1.6 ITS Equipment ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 4-6 4.1.6.1 Software Components.................................................................................................................................................................... 4-6 4.1.6.2 Systems Engineering Process ..................................................................................................................................................... 4-7 4.2 Toll System ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4-7 4.2.1 Toll Collection ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 4-7 4.2.1.1 Roadside Toll Equipment............................................................................................................................................................... 4-7 4.2.1.2 Transaction Host ..............................................................................................................................................................................4-8 4.2.1.3 Toll System Back Office ................................................................................................................................................................. 4-9 4.3 Tolling Strategy ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4-9 4.3.1 Payment Options ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 4-9 4.3.2 Pricing Strategy ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4-9 4.4 Operations........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4-10 4.4.1 Regional Transportation Management Center (RTMC) ...............................................................................................................