Problem is, the plan is not exactly a knight in shining armor. Nor is it fully technologically feasible at the moment. I found out a number of interesting things about this plan at a public meeting this evening sponsored by Fairfax Supervisor Linda Smyth and representatives from VDOT and private companies.
The basic plan is that around most sections of the capital beltway (in Virginia only) and portions of 95/395 two lanes in each direction would be isolated as HOT lanes - leaving three general use lanes. Special on ramps and transfer points would allow users to move between HOT and regular lanes.
A private for-profit group of companies would foot the bill for building the infrastructure (under the watchful eye of VDOT) and in exchange they'll take a cut (or is it all? - I'm not clear on this point) of the tolls. While this sounds horrible - contracting our public roads to private firms - there is sound logic behind it. The state simply does not have enough money to do this project so the options are nothing (which sometimes is the best choice) or contract out. Provided the contract has reasonable oversight from Virginia, this isn't a bad solution.
So why aren't they ready for prime time?
One significant issue, that has been discussed frequently, is that there will be "congestion pricing" - meaning that the as the HOT lanes begin to fill up the cost to enter/use them will increase. Rather than a flat toll there will be a variable toll based on demand. I need check this, but I recall a fairly high price (10 cents to 90 cents per mile!!!!). Which brings us to the frequent complaint - that HOT lanes will only be for the rich and average income or low income folks will be stuck in the same gridlock they are now. We don't need luxury lanes - so if there is "congestion pricing" it needs to be affordable for the average driver.
Since this "congestion pricing" is supposed to guarantee a trouble free trip, can you get your money back if there is trouble? After all, this was a big selling point - each person can decide, based on the current price, if they would like to travel in the open HOT lanes or sit in traffic. So if you decide to pay for the quick trip but it isn't (accidents or other hold ups happen) do you get your money back? No. But they have technology to track how many miles you were on the HOT lane and presumably the time it took, so they know if you had a quick trip or not. Sorry, no refunds.
Next problem is the number of O's that count as High. Under this plan vehicles with three or more would be free. Two or less pays. HOV3 works fairly well up/down I-395 at rush hour. But so does HOV2 on I-66 inside the beltway. For everyone who screams that HOV2 doesn't work outside the beltway - get a grip. The HOV portion drops from 2 lanes to 1 (half capacity), while more than doubling the input (from 495), and it's even easier to cheat. HOV2 works just fine to greatly reduce congestion if given a fair chance. So why HOV3? I dunno, perhaps, um, money? It will be harder to reach that threshold of three per vehicle and therefore more vehicles will have to pay.
After further thought, this actually may discourage two person carpooling as there is less advantage when driving with two. You'll have to pay with one passenger so why bother? Enjoy your privacy if your paying anyway. Ok, there would still be a "split the cost" benefit, but that's not as good as free for HOV2 or greatly discounted for HOV2. Neither of which are options being considered.
How about Hybrids? After a good bit of waffling, the VDOT representative said simply "no". At least that's the plan right now. So the hybrid/HOV benefit that exists today would disappear. Too many people are driving hybrids and that number is likely to increase, which would create congestion due to more single drivers, which would defeat the purpose. Ok, he's got a point with respect to congestion, but people are finally coming around to a better technology and the last thing we want to do is discourage that transition. He wasn't sure about motorcycles.
Then there is the issue of technology. The presenters kept a positive spin on the whole thing - even the part where they had to admit the technology to implement the HOT lanes as envisioned, DOESN'T EXIST. This whole thing will be run electronically without toll booths, toll collectors, or coins/cash. Like FastPass and other existing toll technologies. But the obvious problem is how would the electronic sensor know how many people are in the vehicle? Answer: that technology doesn't exist but there's promising R&D going on right now. And besides, this project won't be ready to go until 2013 or 2014 so there's plenty of time for technology to catch up.
They have a back up - sort of. Enforcement. They'll use Va State Police (paid for by the private company - so that's ok) to check vehicles that don't have toll recording sensors. If the police aren't sure, they'll just pull your vehicle over to confirm. So much for that fast trip you were hoping for - even if you didn't break the rules. And it still doesn't answer the question of how the system knows not to charge you if you have a recording sensor AND have three people in the vehicle. How are police going to fix that?
So there you go - these are the HOT lanes that are coming to the NOVA highways. At least that's the plan. If you like the plan - keep quiet. If not, I suggest you make some serious noise before the contracts are signed and "we can't get out now" is the only response we get from our elected leaders.
On top of that, .25 cents - $1.00 a day is not going to "encourage" anyone to car pool, it's simply going to create more congestion (because after all, that's what tolls do).
I'm also uncertain how they would enforce the different pay scales for different number of people in the car. I mean, they cannot enforce the 3 people minimum on the HOV3 lanes, so how would they hope to enforce different pay scales?
I'm also very wary of giving control over our roads to a private company. All it does is create another avenue for your money to disappear. I see this as just another part of the 'privatize!' mantra that desperately needs to go out of fashion in state government.
Matusleo
Ut Prosim
I am sure there are drivers in this area who can afford this cost on a daily basis, but it is just too high for me.
This is a public private partnership so VDOT (your tax dollar) is going to be used in this project. What is VDOT's financial contribution?
A quick examination of the proposal on the surface appears to have some benefits to the citizens in Northern Virgina. The company will fix areas where there are bottlenecks, build slip ramps, improve transit service....
Where is the catch. This group is not doing this project out of the goodness of their hearts.
Just use it during peak traffic (morning and afternoon). You won't catch every violator, but I think a $100 fine would deter just about everyone from breaking the law.
I am a developer on a traffic court system here in Florida so the concept isn't entirely foreign - we are even starting on processing violations captured in digital format.
They should at least solicit proposals - I work with some of the best software engineers in the world and we could come up with a world-class solution. This would encourage car pooling and reduce congestion. Violators would help maintain roads.