By Bob Dallas
If your interstates need managed lanes, does that mean they are misbehaving?
In the case of metro-Atlanta, most drivers honk a resounding YES!
Webster defines managed lanes as “HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes, HOT (High Occupancy Toll) lanes, or other types of restricted or special lanes such as truck lanes.” In metro-Atlanta the Georgia Department of transportation has a Managed Lanes System Plan that envisions an expenditure of over $15 billion over twenty years to implement managed lanes throughout. Some segments convert existing lanes and other segments add additional lanes. See
Georgia’s first foray into managed lanes is the 16-mile segment of I-85 Express Lanes from Chamblee-Tucker to Old Peachtree Roads. There, existing general purpose and HOV lanes were converted to HOT managed lanes.
For most commuters the belief was these lanes were being managed to increase capacity and reduce congestion. Instead of congestion relief, the drivers registered confusion. Why, they asked, were general purpose and two or more occupant HOV travel lanes taken for ultra-high occupancy commuters or those willing to pay an ultra-high price to ride with less than three occupants in the vehicle?
During the first week of implementation, gridlock in the “free” general purpose lanes just compounded drivers’ grievances. Gov. Nathan Deal responded with a convincing argument: Cut the variable tolls in half, or else. As he is chair of the Georgia State Road & Tollways Authority, the toll was halved the first week of operations.
But, say highway experts, the I-85 managed lanes are working as planned. They have reached anticipated capacity with people willing to pay to eliminate minutes from their commute and create predictability in the process. The managed lanes work because they apply the capitalistic axiom of increasing price to reduce demand.
As managed lanes become more congested, increase their tolls and presto, their congestion evaporates. But as water vapor creates rain, the congestion flows to the unmanaged general purpose lanes. But say the experts, over time even the general purpose lanes will improve.
So who is right? Depending on the goal, everybody.
If the goal is to have at least one lane with a predictable travel time, then a managed lane works. That is why SRTA initially set the variable toll so high, to give itself flexibility to keep even the most spendthrift drivers out of the managed lanes in the event the general purpose lanes became overly congested.
If the goal is to improve congestion, without adding more lanes or changing travel habits, then managed lanes do not improve congestion in the general purpose travel lanes.
But, with a change in behavior managed lanes can work to improve congestion in all lanes. How? Managed lanes make viable bus rapid transit and increase ultra-high occupancy vehicle usage; thus fewer vehicles will use the general purpose lanes and they too will experience less congestion.
It is by making viable these transit options that all lanes experience the benefit of reduced congestion.
Again, we are left with asking a fundamental question: are we reducing congestion or increasing transit options? Honk yes again, for the goal is both.
Next time we will look at managed lanes which add capacity; often made feasible with Triple P. No, not what your kids do when you are stuck in traffic, but the Public Private Partnerships used to build additional highway lanes.
Though so far, here in Georgia it feels more like we have been stuck in traffic so long our Triple P is acting more like our kids!
Keeping you informed about T-SPLOST
In July, residents in the Reporter Newspapers communities and throughout metro Atlanta will be voting on a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (usually called the “T-SPLOST”) to fund $6 billion in regional transportation projects. We are presenting a number of viewpoints, from local transportation officials and activists, to help readers stay informed about this important issue.
Dunwoody resident Bob Dallas headed the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety under former Gov. Sonny Perdue. He will answer questions about public policy on transportation and related needs. If you questions for him to answer about transportation policy, direct them to editor@reporternewspapers.net.
