High-occupancy toll
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A high-occupancy toll (HOT) is a toll enacted on single-occupant vehicles who wish to use lanes or entire roads that are designated for the use of high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs, also known as carpools). Tolls are collected either by manned toll booths, automatic number plate recognition, or electronic toll collection systems. High occupancy tolls are a form of road pricing.
The concept is an expansion of HOV lanes and an attempt to maximize their efficiency in moving vehicles. HOV lanes are designed to promote vehicle sharing and use of public transport by creating areas of lower road use as an incentive. Since some of these areas are under-used and therefore increase congestion, this has led to criticism of the scheme. HOT lanes are one answer to this. Since HOT lanes are often constructed within the existing road space there is much criticism of the idea, most commonly that HOT lanes are an environmental tax or perk for the rich.
HOT Lanes are currently mostly confined to the United States. If the idea is perceived as a success, they may spread world-wide. Other countries reported to be monitoring the results are Canada and the United Kingdom.
Examples of HOT lanes
Current HOT lanes
The following roads are among those currently using HOT Lanes:
- Interstate 15, San Diego, California, USA (SOV toll, HOV2+ free)
- 91 Express Lanes, Orange County, California, USA (SOV toll, HOV3+ discount/free off-peak)
- Interstate 10 ("Katy Freeway") (http://www.quickride.org/), Houston, Texas, USA (HOV2 toll, HOV3+ free, SOV prohibited)
- U.S. Highway 290 ("Northwest Freeway") (http://www.quickride.org/), Houston, Texas, USA (HOV2 toll, HOV3+ free, SOV prohibited)
- Interstate 394, MnPASS Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA (SOV toll, HOV2+ free)
Future HOT lanes
The following roads are being reconfigured for HOT Lanes, which have not yet opened for toll-paying traffic
- Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) (http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/ppta-defaultHOTLANESCapitalBeltway.asp), between Springfield, Virginia, and the Georgetown Pike exit in McLean, Virginia. Officials of the Virginia Department of Transportation signed an agreement with two private companies in April, 2005.
Possible HOT lanes
The following roads are among those being considered for HOT Lanes:
- In Seattle, Washington, USA:
- Interstate 90
- Interstate 405
- SR 167 (project authorized to start, expected to open 2007-2008)
- SR 520
- In Virginia, USA:
- In Maryland, USA:
- In Denver, Colorado, USA:
- In Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
External links
- Washington State paper on HOT Lanes (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/hov/hotlanes.htm)
- RPPI paper on HOT Lanes (http://www.rppi.org/transportation/ps170.html)
- Brookings Institution economic study on HOT Lanes (http://www.brook.edu/views/op-ed/downs/20020510.htm)
- A Guide for HOT Lane Development (FHWA, 2003) (http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/JPODOCS/REPTS_TE/13668.html)
- Virginia Department of Transportation press release on Beltway HOT lanes, April 29, 2005 (http://www.virginiadot.org/infoservice/news/newsrelease.asp?ID=CO-0517)
- Denver North I-25 HOT Lanes Study (http://www.valuelanes.com/)