Managed Lane Toll Prices

This research involved a simulation that compared 3 days of actual traffic data for the I-95 Express Lanes and general purpose lanes in Miami, Florida, with a hypothetical scenario in which all transportation demand management (TDM) activities and toll exemptions were eliminated. The purpose of the research was to quantify the extent to which carpooling, vanpooling, and transit use contribute to better traffic flow in the I-95 corridor. In the hypothetical scenario there was a slight degradation in express lane level of service (LOS) and a slight increase in tolls in the southbound direction. Conversely, there was a slight improvement in express lane LOS and a slight decrease in tolls in the northbound direction. In the hypothetical scenario, many inherently low emission vehicles (ILEVs), which are toll exempt, opted out of the express lanes. The increase in express lane volume from former carpoolers, vanpoolers, and transit riders reverting to single-occupant status was often offset by even larger volumes of ILEVs leaving the express lanes. Although the traffic effect on the express lanes was mild, the effect on the general purpose lanes was more severe. In the hypothetical scenario, the general purpose lanes operated at LOS F 22% more of the time in the southbound direction and 8% more of the time in the northbound direction.