TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS: GETTING THE MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!

GPA Fall Conference 2013Kyle Mote

GDOT Office of PlanningOctober 10, 2013

Agenda

• What are Managed Lanes?• Managed Lanes in Georgia– Where we were– Where we are – Where we are going

• Managed Lane Strategies• Prioritization of Managed Lane Projects• Next Steps

What are Managed Lanes?

Managed Lanes in Georgia

WHERE WE WERE

2009 Atlanta RegionalManaged Lane System Plan (MLSP)

• First regional managed lanes plan in the country

• In 2009, there were no Priced Managed Lanes in the Atlanta region (only HOV lanes)

• Identified $16 Billion in MLs• $5.9 Billion programmed in

current Atlanta MPO Plan

2009 Managed Lane System Plan Goals

Managed Lanes in Georgia

WHERE WE ARE

Managed Lane Corridors Currently in Operation or in Development (Priced & HOV)

Managed Lanes in Georgia

WHERE WE ARE GOING

• All new limited access capacity in Metro Atlanta will likely be tolled

• Remove HOV2+ to HOT3+ conversions from MPO TIP

• Eliminate assumptions of long-term concession agreements

• Evaluate lower-cost managed lane treatments

New Planning AssumptionsMoving Forward

Managed Lane Implementation Plan (MLIP)

• Updating MLSP as part of Managed Lanes Implementation Plan (MLIP) to:– Build upon previous MLSP goals– Reflect current funding constraints– Identify feasible locations for managed lane projects– Redefine and reprioritize projects from the previous plan based on

current and future needs– Prioritize list of managed lane projects and accompanying financing

strategies (P3 and traditional funding sources)

• Incorporate recommendations into RTP and TIP update, as appropriate during 2013-2014

Innovations and Emerging Findings

• Consider traditional managed lane solutions– New Lanes

• Considering non-traditional managed lane solutions– Shoulder lanes– Reversible lanes using movable barriers– Option: use reversible barrier and shoulder lanes in

conjunction with each other• Intent is to not “reduce” current travel options for

motorists

Managed Lane Strategies

SHOULDER LANES

Shoulder Lanes – Typical SectionBEFORE

Shoulder Lanes – Typical SectionAFTER

Shoulder Lanes - Case Studies

• Washington State - US 2– 1.5 miles during PM only

• Minneapolis– 3.0 miles during AM & PM– Use left shoulder– Region wide bus shoulders

• UK M42 Highway– 10 miles– Shoulders used in conjunction with variable speed limits

• Netherlands– Use left and right shoulder

Shoulder Sign in Washington State

Shoulder Lanes - Considerations• Shoulder pavement depth• Shoulder width• Bridge spans and pillar

locations• Entrance/exit ramp

locations and volumes• Additional signage• Refuge sites (incidents and

emergency access)• Segment length

SR 400 Shoulder Lane (Atlanta, GA)

Source: www.itsinternational.com

Shoulder Lanes - Lessons Learned

• Manage expectations, not all shoulders lend themselves to travel

• Capital costs vary dramatically based on existing infrastructure

• Develop active traffic management system concept• Pre-determine enforcement roles/processes, incident

response, training, public outreach and education• Strategic placement of emergency refuge areas, with

proper signing• Strategic placement of video cameras to monitor traffic

Corridors Selected forShoulder Lane Evaluation

Limited Shoulders

Limited Shoulders Limited Shoulders

Limited Shoulders

Managed Lane Strategies

MOVEABLE BARRIERS

Moveable Barriers – Typical SectionBEFORE

Moveable Barriers – Typical SectionAFTER

Moveable Barriers - Case Studies• I-30/Thornton Freeway: Dallas, TX

• 5.2 mile managed lane during AM & PM• Increased speeds from 22 to 41 mph• 1,200 – 1,400 vehicles per hour (vph)

• I-93: Boston, MA• 6.0 mile managed lane during AM & PM• Flows at posted speed (55 mph)• 1,500 - 1,800 vph• No increase in accidents

• I-70: West of Denver, CO• 13.5 mile EB Sundays• Significant decrease in EB travel times (79 to 41

min.) and increase in WB travel times (34 to 69 min.)• 2% annual increase in crashes (snow conditions)

Source: Barrier Systems, Inc.

I-93 Reversible Lanes in Boston

Moveable Barriers - Considerations

• Directional split of traffic and number of lanes• Estimated benefit (travel time savings)• Capital and Operating & Maintenance costs • Bridge spans and pillar locations• Median and/or shoulder widths• Borrow inside lane or shoulder for reverse direction and/or widen

to the median• Logistics of rev. lanes• Additional signage• Segment length

Source: Barrier Systems, Inc.

Moveable Barriers - Lessons Learned

• Plan ahead (traffic impacts, physical limitations, storage, etc)

• Develop standard operating procedures• Public education• Spare parts inventory• Aggressive preventative maintenance• Adequate staffing for enforcement, traffic incident

management and maintenance

Corridors Selected forMoveable Barrier Evaluation

Directional Split

Directional Split,MARTA Rail

Grass Median

Limited Shoulders

Grass Median

Arterial, Grass Median

Limited Shoulders

Managed Lanes Implementation Plan

PROJECT PRIORITIZATION

Project Prioritization Structure Goals

National & State Goals

Local Goals

Project Prioritization Structure

Project Prioritization StructureNo. Themes Performance Measures

1 Transportation mobility

Vehicle throughput and person throughput

Changes in travel speeds or travel time savings

Corridor reduction of vehicle delay

Facilitation of transit options

2 Financial feasibilityRevenue/mile

Cost/mile

Project financing index (PFI)

3 System connectivity and economic growth

Managed lane system connectivity

Connectivity to major employment centers

Jobs accessed within 45 minutes of travel by car or transit

4 System preservation and environmental sustainability

System preservation

Flexible lane management

Level of environmental impacts

5 Project support and readinessProject readiness

General constructability and schedule

Compatibility with regional plans

Managed Lanes Implementation Plan

NEXT STEPS

Next Steps

www.dot.ga.gov\MLIPKyle Mote

GDOT Office of Planning(404) 631-1987

kmote@dot.ga.gov