ABOUT HOT LANES
What Are They?
HOT lanes (High Occupancy Toll) are an extension of the 2-person per car HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) program most west-siders are familiar with. With HOT lanes, lone drivers (single occupancy) wishing to use HOV lanes can do so by paying a toll to use the lane, making it now a HOT lane.
The idea behind HOT lanes by its proponents is two-fold: 1) raising revenue, and 2) controlling traffic volume.
This past legislative session's ESHB-1382 proposed a HOT lane configuration for I-405, wherein the two left lanes in each direction of I-405 would be converted to HOT lanes. But WSDOT's own revenue projections show that any possibility of success would come only by requiring a 3-person occupancy rule, instead of 2, as it is now, and making everyone else pay (2-person or single drivers). We have now created a two-class system where the wealthy and politically correct are favored, and those not conforming are punished.
Also, WSDOT based its revenue projections for I-405 at $0.74 mile, which puts the average toll at $7.95. Nowhere in America is any tolling facility producing anywhere near that amount.
Even the SR-167 trial HOT project is only realizing $0.16 per mile.
Do They Work?
There have been nine other HOT lane experiments around the country. None can be called a success by any private sector measurement, unless you're primary goal is to make life worse for all other drivers not using the HOT lanes.
The photo below from southern California's HOT lane project on SR-91 best illustrates the experiment's true effects. Note the center four toll lanes are highly under-utilized while the right four lanes are jammed and at a near stand still. And SR-91 has yet to generate any meaningful transportation dollars.
| Perhaps our own best answer lies in WSDOT's first HOT lane experiment just south of I-405 on an 11 mile stretch of SR-167 in the Renton/Kent area. Now in its third year, these lanes have yet to even pay annual operating costs, much less capital, bonding or equipment costs. Although WSDOT predicts net revenue by the end of this year, that prediction only includes operating costs, not capital costs. With HOT lanes, WSDOT claims the GP (general purpose) lanes will see more through-put and higher speeds. But, if that's the case, why would anyone want to move into the HOT lanes and pay a toll? The truth is, only when the misery index is high enough (worse than today) only those who could afford it would move into the HOT lanes. |
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We believe the real agenda behind the "managed lanes" concept of HOT lanes is social engineering - forcing people to do what they don't want to do. It's becoming clear that the real intent of those at the helm in transportation planning is to eventually toll all major roads as a way to garner new taxes and spend it on whatever the legislature wishes, even non-transportation.There is no evidence that HOT lanes will produce a positive revenue and, in fact, the SR-167 experiment proves this.
RESOURCE LINKS
The Necessity of Initiative 1125LEARN MORE ABOUT INITIATIVE 1125 AT:
CITIZENS' GUIDE TO INITIATIVE 1125 pdf by Michael Ennis Director, WPC’s Center for Transportation Sept. 2011
THE WASINGTON POLICY CENTER Learn more about Initiative 1125
ELECTIONS AND VOTING Initiative 1125: Washington Secretary of State - Sam Reed
BALLOTPEDIA - INITIATIVE 1125 Washington Transportation - Initiative 1125
VOTERS WANT MORE CHOICES Learn more about Initiative 1125
THE NECESSITY OF INITIATIVE 1125 Washington State Impolite
© 2011 Washington Traffic Institute - Initiative 1125