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HOT Lane Discussion

HOT Lane Discussion. Sept 4, 2012. Some HOT Lane Examples. CA 91 (LA Area). I-15 (San Diego). Drilldown- I-85 Atlanta. HOV lane conversion 15 miles, $110M Opened Oct 2011. I-85 Drilldown.

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HOT Lane Discussion

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  1. HOT Lane Discussion Sept 4, 2012

  2. Some HOT Lane Examples CA 91 (LA Area) I-15 (San Diego)

  3. Drilldown- I-85 Atlanta • HOV lane conversion • 15 miles, $110M • Opened Oct 2011

  4. I-85 Drilldown • “The overall effect on commute times is hard to pinpoint. In some cases, commuters in the regular lanes sat in traffic longer since the HOT lanes opened; in other cases, their commute improved. -- Atlanta Journal Constitution, “HOT Lanes Pick Up Momentum, Critics”, Feb 29, 2012 • Traffic modeling shows that the toll lanes, capped at a maximum number of drivers, will flow freely even at rush hour. But traffic conditions in the untolled lanes will remain essentially unchanged whether the toll lanes are built or not. -- Atlanta Journal Constitution, “Are HOT Lanes a Good Idea For Georgia Highways?”, Sept 19, 2011

  5. I-405 Orange County, CA • Currently 5 lanes in each direction • Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) proposed adding HOT lanes without additional GP lanes • Six cities sent letter to OCTA in opposition • "Alternative 2 (GP Lanes) provides the greatest travel time savings and vehicle capacity in the general purpose lanes” --theNewspaper.com, Public Officials Upset Over Tolling, Accessed Aug 18, 2012

  6. I-595 Miami, FL • From the FDOT Website: • With the Express Lanes, motorists have the choiceof paying for a reliable travel time.

  7. HOT Lanes in General- Conclusion: HOT lanes provide an alternative, not a solution, to congestion What about I-77 Specifically?

  8. I-77 HOT Lane • “What it comes down to,” Coxe says, “is whether it’s worth it for me to pay a toll to get to that meeting on time or to be at my desk downtown at a certain time. That’s a decision people will be able to make every day.” -- Lake Norman Citizen, “Dynamic Tolling Means Automation, Enforcement”, April 27, 2012 • “As the demand for that road goes up, the toll would go up, too, so we could manage the amount of traffic that goes into that lane.” -- Barry Moose, WSOC, “Charlotte Interstates Could Become Toll Roads”, July 1, 2010 HOT Lanes Will Ensure Congestion, Not Relieve It

  9. I-77 HOT Lanes- Net Gain • “The tolls could generate as much as $25M over 20+ years” -- various • “DOT is short $15M but Moose says his office could ‘shuffle the budget to find the difference’.” -- Charlotte Observer, “I-485 Could Be Finished Sooner”, Aug 16, 2008 So Fifty Years of Tolls ~ “Shuffling the Budget” !!

  10. The Proposed HOT Lanes • Costs • Operating ($2M/yr) • Additional Law Enforcement ($??) • Toll Equipment ($??) • User Transponder Cost ($??) • Congestion relief is an admitted secondary concern • Huge cost in wasted time & fuel: • 10,000 x 2.5hrs x 50weeks x 50years= 60M+ man-hours of delay (over 7,000 man-years) All That For a $20M Gain Over 20 Years?

  11. The Proposed HOT Lanes: • …do not cover construction costs • …do not relieve congestion in the long term • …lock us into a situation for the next 50 years • … make us subservient to the P3 partner for any future changes • New interchanges/ exits • Additional lanes • ??

  12. So Why HOT Lanes? • Reason 1: There’s No Money • Reason 2: There’s No Money • Reason 3: There’s No Money

  13. “There’s No Money” • I-77 Not Just Cornelius’ #1 priority: • “Of all the needs that we have in our five county region I feel like that (widening I-77) is the number one need moving forward.” --Barry Moose, “Engineer: More Lanes on I-77 Should Be Next”, WCNC, Nov 18, 2009 • $50B Chasing $10B funding • Given I-77’s importance, shouldn’t it land in the top 20% for funding?

  14. “There’s No Money” • Within a five year timeframe, Iredell will have completed: • Three new exits • Two+ miles of additional lanes • A $90M upgrade of the I-77/I-40 interchange • $750M bridge to the Outer Banks has been delayed • I-485 is coming in at $65M less than budgeted • Exit 28 is one tenth of original estimates due to DDI We Have a Window of Opportunity Where Funded Projects Are Coming In Under Budget

  15. I-77 Through LKN: • Has never been widened in 40+ years • Serves one of the fastest growing regions in the state • Is the only four lane interstate in Mecklenburg County • Is now the most congested four lane in the state and… • …is set to become the first toll lane in the county

  16. Some Questions • Since HOT lanes will affect all of us for decades, why aren’t we questioning this? • How can we engage the Legislature/ NCDOT to divert funding from under-budget projects to build GP lanes? • Given the minimal gain from HOT lanes ($20M over 20 years), couldn’t the LKN towns bond this and build GP lanes? • $250K per town annually • Possibly pro-rated on a population basis

  17. Municipal Bond Option- 20yrs Municipal Option A Fraction of HOT Lane Cost

  18. Municipal Bond Option- 50yrs HOT Lanes Extract a High Price

  19. Recommendations • Cornelius to NCDOT • Formally communicate concerns and withdraw support for HOT lanes until these are addressed • Convene a task force ala the Red Line to perform due diligence • LNTC • Create a task force to pursue funding • Investigate municipal bonding option HOT Lanes Will Be With Us the Rest of Our Lives. We Need To Take the Time To Get This Right.

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