Impacts of Increasing Vehicle - Occupancy Requirements on HOV / HOT Lanes

at http://trid.trb.org/view/2009/C/881189 From the abstract: This paper describes an empirical research investigation of SOV behavior in the I-394 HOT facility in Minneapolis, Minnesota, known as MnPASS. Using traffic and tolling data from March 2008, the research team conducted a visual time series analysis, price elasticity analysis, and developed a utility-based mode choice model for SOV behavior. The results indicated that HOT operations were successful in maintaining a high-level of service in the HOT lanes while providing an alternative for a large number of SOVs. However, the results also indicated that SOV behavior was insensitive to toll level. In addition, the mode choice model indicated that while SOV behavior is influenced by the combination of speed differential between HOT and general purpose lanes, and the level of toll, these variables alone do not allow for effective SOV behavior prediction. Public Perception and Education “Willingness to Pay for HOT Lanes: Empirical Analysis from I-15 and I-394,” Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting, 2012. Abstract at http://trid.trb.org/view/2012/C/1129481 From the abstract: This research examined travelers’ willingness to pay for travel time savings (TTS) and the variability of toll prices on the I-394 MnPASS Express Lanes in Minnesota and the I-15 Express Lanes in San Diego. The findings from both facilities indicate many travelers are willing to pay a toll for small TTS. This resulted in revealed preference values of time for I-394 paying customers averaging $73/hr in the morning and $116/hr in the afternoon. Travelers on the I-15 Express Lanes received slightly higher TTS than on I-394 and typically had a lower willingness to pay. Their revealed preference values of time averaged $49/hr in the morning and $54/hr in the afternoon. Based on how large these values are it is likely travelers are paying for more than just TTS, possibly travel time reliability, meaning these lanes have added value to travelers beyond time savings. It was found that there was considerable variation in toll rates during the morning and afternoon peak hours with tolls ranging from $0.50 to $8.00. Conversely, off-peak times showed little to no variation. It was found that these trends were similar when looking at different days of the week and even from year to year. Additionally, it should be noted that these trends were common across both I-394 and I-15 Express Lanes, although more variation was found on I-15. Therefore, although dynamic tolling can be more difficult to implement, it was useful in regulating traffic during peak periods. “Preliminary Before and After Results of I-394 HOT Lane Panel Survey,” Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers, 2007. Abstract at http://trid.trb.org/view/2007/C/800899 From the abstract: This report documents the methods and results of the second wave of data collection for the I-394 MnPASS Evaluation Attitudinal Panel Survey. The Wave 2 survey, conducted during November and December 2005, occurred one year subsequent to the first wave and about six months into the implementation of the I-394 MnPASS Express Lane project. Data were collected through 950 interviews to evaluate the attitudinal and behavioral impacts of allowing solo drivers to pay to use carpool lanes. Overall approval and satisfaction with the I-394MnPASS Express Lane project is strong and broad. Six out of ten believed that allowing single drivers to use carpool lanes by paying a toll was a good idea. Support was almost as strong among lower income households as it was among higher income households. Satisfaction among users with MnPASS operations, subscription elements, and