TAKE THE EXPRESS LANES SURVEY!

What is an Express Lane?

An express lane is a carpool lane that can also be used by those who drive alone if they pay a toll when space is available. Motorists paying a toll are only allowed to use the Express Lane when there is sufficient unused capacity in the lanes to allow additional cars without reducing the speeds of carpoolers and transit buses.  The lanes would still be free to carpoolers and transit.  The tolls paid by solo drivers would be collected electronically using the same FasTrak® tags used for Bay Area bridges; there would not be toll booths or any need for the cars to slow down since the FasTrak® tags can be read at high speed.

Express Lanes use variable-priced tolling to ensure that they never become crowded to the point where service for traditional carpools is degraded.  Sensors detect how much traffic is using the lane and then raise or lower the toll as a method of managing the number of solo drivers using the lanes.  Changeable message signs alert drivers to the prevailing toll level before the entrance to the lane so that they can decide whether or not they would like to use the Express Lane.

On freeways that have Express Lanes they are adjacent to other general purpose lanes that can be used for free.  All drivers always have the option to continue to use the remaining lanes for free.  No express lanes are created from existing general purpose lanes.

There are currently three programs within the Federal-Aid Highway Program that support express lane strategies.  These include:

• Value Pricing Pilot Program:  This program encourages implementation and evaluation of pilot projects to manage congestion on highways through tolling and other pricing mechanisms.
• High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes: The current program allows states to charge tolls to vehicles that do not meet occupancy requirements who wish to use an HOV lane.  The state must establish a program to address the selection of vehicles allowed in such lanes, develop a system for automatically collecting the toll, and establish policies to manage demand of the lanes.
• Express Lanes Demonstration Program: This new program permits tolling on select facilities to manage congestion, reduce emissions, or finance additional transportation improvements.

Advantages of Express Lanes

Express Lanes offer a number of important advantages over traditional carpool lanes, namely:

• Express Lanes give solo drivers the option to reduce travel time for trips when it is important that they avoid delay.  Studies of existing Express Lanes have found that most of the solo drivers that use them do so only occasionally, for example to avoid being late for a meeting or to pick up a child from school.  Without the Express Lane such drivers would have no choice for avoiding congested conditions.
• Express Lanes allow the unused capacity of carpool lanes to be put to productive use and help free up space in other lanes.
• Express Lanes generate revenues used to support the tolling system costs and improve conditions in the corridor, such as improving transit service, repaving, or extending the carpool lanes.

Why is TAM considering Express Lanes now?

As part of its on-going efforts to improve traffic operations on US-101, TAM is looking at options that would make more capacity available to drivers while not further expanding the road or impacting benefits to carpools and transit.  In the last decade agencies in other places have successfully used Express Lanes to relieve congestion on heavily-traveled freeways.  Several agencies in the Bay Area have already started pilot projects.  The U.S. Federal Highway Administration and Caltrans have both supported Express Lanes projects in recent years and encourage their use in places where the circumstances are right for such facilities.  TAM would like to stay abreast of potential opportunities by assessing whether Express Lanes would be appropriate for Marin County.

TAM Citizens' Oversight Committee Report

The Transportation Authority of Marin or TAM was created to administer the half-cent Marin County Transportation Sales Tax, approved by voters in 2004 as Measure A.  TAM has also been designated as the County Congestion Management Agency.  The Agency is responsible for transportation programs and projects in Marin County.  The TAM Board includes an elected official from each city and town, plus the five members of the Marin County Board of Supervisors.  The City of Belvedere’s representative on TAM is Councilmember Sandy Donnell.  

The Measure A Expenditure Plan mandates the formation of a Citizens’ Oversight Committee.  The purpose of the Committee is to provide an independent review that Measure A expenditures are spent in accordance with the adopted Expenditure Plan.  The Committee reports its findings annually to the public.  The fourth of these reports, the Fiscal Year 2007-08 Annual Report, is up and ready for public review on the TAM website at http://tam.marin.org.

The four primary strategies of Measure A during Fiscal Year 2007-08 were:

• Maintaining the Local Bus System
• Highway 101 Carpool Lane Gap Closure Project
• Local Transportation Infrastructure
• Reducing School-Related Congestion and Provide Safer Access to Schools

For more information on TAM and/or Measure A projects, visit the TAM website at http://tam.marin.org.