Managed Lanes

Aerial view of five-level freeway interchange in Houston, Texas with bridges spanning green bayou.

Texas Approves $100 Billion Road Building Plan

The state is making a record investment in expanding and maintaining roads and highways, including an expansion of Interstate 10 and new managed lanes in Houston.

August 17, 2023 - Houston Chronicle

Close-up of Caltrans logo on white passenger train

The ‘Three Pillars’ of Carbon Reduction, According to Caltrans

The California Department of Transportation released its draft carbon reduction strategy last month to apply for Carbon Reduction Program funds included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Road pricing plays a prominent role.

August 9, 2023 - CalTrans

Interstate 55 with cars and green freeway signs in Chicago, Illinois

Illinois Legislators Pass Controversial I-55 Road Expansion Legislation

Legislation to enable the addition of express toll lanes on Interstate 55 in the Southwest Side of Chicago, opposed by environmental justice advocates, cleared the Illinois General Assembly last month.

June 7, 2023 - Chicago Tribune

Pink light before morning dawn sun reflects on clouds over downtown Nashville TN

Tennessee Approves Toll Lanes as Part of Transportation Package

Despite decades of resistance to tolling highway lanes, the Tennessee legislature passed a bill that authorizes the creation of ‘choice lanes.’

May 2, 2023 - Governing

A toll payment facility in Florida.

Tolling All Lanes

Bay Area transportation planners are studying a radical idea to reduce traffic congestion and fund driving alternatives: tolling all lanes on a freeway. Even more radical, the plan considers tolling parallel roads.

March 21, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

Gaslamp Quarter

SANDAG Plan Retreats on Road Usage Charge, Proposes Other New Taxes

In response to conservative opposition to a proposed road user charge, San Diego's regional planning agency is proposing other revenue sources including a tax on ride-hailing and three sales tax increases.

December 27, 2021 - Voice of San Diego

Highway Construction

Tolls Not Included: Toll Proposals Keep Ending Up in the Dustbin in Texas

Another example of the growing political and planning opposition to the idea of tolling new roads in Texas.

September 22, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

Northern California Toll Lane

More Toll Lanes Coming to California Freeways

Solo drivers in the Golden State will have more options to escape traffic congestion on busy freeways – for a price, as transportation agencies increasing decide to convert existing carpool lanes to high-occupancy toll lanes and add new ones.

January 2, 2020 - Los Angeles Times

Traffic

It’s Time to Embrace Congestion Pricing

Charging based on demand and for access is commonplace—except on roads.

October 28, 2019 - Brookings

Virginia Interstate Widening Would Convert Free Lanes to Toll Lanes

The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization is proposing a 45-mile network of high-occupancy toll lanes on I–64 that includes conversions of 16 miles of carpool and three miles of general-purpose lanes. No unpriced lanes would be added.

September 30, 2019 - The Virginian-Pilot

Carpool Lane

Converting a Carpool Lane to a High Occupancy Toll Lane No Easy Task

Supervisors of California's fourth-largest county declared their formal opposition to the conversion of carpool lanes on the Riverside Freeway to high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, but they are open to toll lanes, under the right conditions.

September 19, 2019 - The Press-Enterprise

San Bruno, California

Managed Lanes Coming to the San Francisco Peninsula

State and county officials gathered on Friday to celebrate the start of a $514 million project to convert carpool lanes to express lanes and connect auxiliary lanes to make for a lane addition. The 32-mile project on Highway 101 opens in 2022.

March 13, 2019 - San Mateo Daily Journal

Interstate 495

Local Control Proposed to Halt Toll Road Progress in Maryland

State legislators want counties to be able to veto toll projects proposed by Governor Larry Hogan.

February 12, 2019 - The Washington Post

Carpool Lane Sticker

220,000 EV Drivers in California to Lose Carpool Lane Perk in 2019

The good news: the Clean Air Vehicle program for electric vehicles will be extended for at least three years. The bad news: not all EVs that have a decal now will be able to be renewed. Congestion on HOV and HOT lanes is a major concern.

September 21, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Freeway Construction

Toll and Tax, or Just Tax, to Pay for Highway Expansion?

A political decision by the Texas Transportation Commission last December to drop projects which included toll lanes was thought to doom 15 road expansions from their 10-year capital plan, but some will go forward with HOV as opposed to HOT lanes.

August 31, 2018 - Austin American-Statesman

Train Buffs: Do You Know What a ZEMU Is?

In addition to commuter trains hauled by an electric or diesel-powered locomotive, there are EMUs and DMUs, and come 2021, for the first time in North America, there should be a ZEMU thanks in part to a $30 million California transportation grant.

May 1, 2018 - California Assembly Press Release

Virginia Freeway

Popularity of Express Lanes Spreads Beyond Virginia

Dan Vock of Governing takes a broad look at congestion pricing, beginning with the success of Virginia's 66 Express Lanes, the ones where tolls initially topped $40. Notwithstanding complaints, managed lanes are spreading, but challenges remain.

April 3, 2018 - Governing

280 Freeway San Francisco

San Francisco Supervisors Cool to Express Lanes on City's Freeways

The county agency that had hoped to do downtown cordon pricing now wants to add express lanes on Highways 101 and 280, but city supervisors are divided on charging solo drivers the option to buy into managed lanes. Both freeways lack carpool lanes.

January 3, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

Texas State Capitol building

Huge Toll Lane Setback in Texas

In a landmark, unanimous vote, the Texas Transportation Commission eliminated all 15 express lane projects from their 10-year capital plan despite pleas from Austin area officials to retain the $8 billion, I-35 project that includes four toll lanes.

December 19, 2017 - Austin American-Statesman

Chicago, Illinois

Federal Approval, But No Funding for Chicago Toll Lanes

Though the federal government approved the plan for toll lanes, called managed lanes in Illinois, the state lacks the funding to implement the idea. Two toll lane proposals are currently in limbo.

August 25, 2017 - CBS Chicago

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