Minnesota’s Congestion Pricing Program
Road User Charging ConferenceRoad User Charging ConferenceJanuary, 2009January, 2009
By Bernie ArseneauBy Bernie ArseneauMinnesota (USA) Department of Minnesota (USA) Department of
TransportationTransportation
Congestion Pricing In Minnesota
• Opened 11 mile High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane on I-394 in 2005
• Opening new 16 mile HOT lane in two phases on I-35W in 2009 and 2010 on
• Congestion pricing brand name:
MnPASS
Our First HOT lane on I-394
• 11 mile corridor 3 mile barrier separated reversible section 8 mile diamond lane section
• 5 EB and 6 WB access points in diamond lane section
• Access in diamond lane controlled through signing and striping
• Carpools, transit and motorcycles free– No transponders for Carpools
• Fully electronic & dynamically priced
Long Path Toward a HOT Lane
• Old Highway 12 Converted to Interstate• Rancorous debate on conversion to I-394• Construction started in 1982…,Opened in 1992
– Peak period HOV (diamond lane)– Dedicated 3 mile HOV reversible section
• Suffered from “Empty Lane Syndrome”• 2002 HOV lane study
– Should it HOV lane become General Purpose Lane?• 2003 HOV to HOT conversion legislation• 2003 Awarded design/build/operate contract• 2005 MnPASS HOT Lane successfully opens
I-394 MnPASS Project Goals
1. Improve I-394 efficiency 2. Maintain free flow
speeds for transit and carpoolers
3. Use excess revenues to improve highway and transit in corridor
4. Employ new technologies for pricing and enforcement
MnPASS Innovations• First Toll Road in Minnesota• Public-Private Partnership for HOT lanes• Minnesota’s first self funded transportation project• Tolling on lanes directly adjacent to non-barrier
separated lanes with multiple access points• Full dynamic pricing on multiple consecutive
roadway segments• Technology applications assist in enforcement,
read/write transponders and enforcement readers
Public Involvement was Key
• Community Task Force – Advise Commissioner of Transportation on:
• Hours of Operation • Transponder• Safety and Enforcement • Toll Rates• Dynamic Message Signs • Public Outreach• Expected Revenues• Project Evaluation• Type of Vehicles Allowed• Access Points/Traffic Operations
• Outreach and education
Tolled Trips
Tolled trips(Year 1)
May ‘05 - April ‘06
(Year 2)
May ‘06-
April ‘07
(Year 3)
May ‘07-
April ‘08
Tolled Trips874,154 908,899
(3.9% growth)
942,348(3.6% growth)
Tolls Collected
$575,499 $1,057,334 $1,083,098
Average Toll $0.65 $1.16 $1.15
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
April 1
1th
May
2nd
May
16t
h
June
6th
June
27t
h
July
18th
Aug 8
th
Aug 2
9th
Sept 1
9th
Oct 1
0th
Oct 3
1st
Nov 2
1st
Dec 1
2th
Jan
2nd
Jan
30th
Feb
20th
Mar
13t
h
Concept Adoption(transponder leases)
Opening Day
9,441
Today:11,912 ActiveTransponders
MnPASS Users Satisfied• 95% satisfaction with
all electronic tolling
• 85% satisfaction with traffic speed in lane
• 76% satisfaction with dynamic pricing
• 66% satisfaction with safety of merging
Establishing the Toll Price
• Min: $0.25 Max $8,00• Price based on HOT lane traffic conditions
only• Data from sensors in lane every ½ mi• Price updated every 3 minutes• Price is set off customizable rate tables
– Existing Price, Level of Service, and Rate of Change determine New Price
• Price based on worst traffic density point downstream of entrance
• Pricing during set hours only (i.e. not 24x7)
Safety ImprovesAnnual Crashes on I-394
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08
Year
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
Before Opening After Opening
Corridor Conditions Improve
• I-394 MnPASS lanes peak hour volumes increased 9 to 33%
• Total I-394 peak hour roadway volumes increased by up to 5%
• 98% of time speeds above 50 mph
• Travel speeds in the general purpose lanes increased by 2 to 15 percent
• Transit ridership and carpools levels increase
MnPASS Enforcement Strategy
Goal: Violation rate <10%1. Convert violators to paying customers
2. Measure compliance, target problems
3. Be present
4. Provide technology to enforce
Results: Violation rates are <10%
I-394 Conclusions
• Important to get the project right
• HOV/HOT options offer CHOICE
• Public acceptance is high
• Makes better use of HOV lanes
• GP lanes also work better
• Benefits Transit and Carpools
• Success helped create the next opportunity
I-35W MnPASS Express Lane
Funded by US DOT’s UPA Initiative, includes:– Conversion of existing
HOV to HOT (10 mi)– Construction of new HOT
lane (4 miles)– Conversion of shoulder to
dynamic PDSL lane (2 miles)– Extension of HOT lane (2 miles)
Comparison of MnPASS Corridors
I-394 I-35WLength 11 miles 16 miles
O-D
Pattern
Suburb to CBD Suburb to Suburb & Suburb to CBD
ADT 143,000 Max 204,000 Max
Transit 13,451 riders/day 11,821 riders/day
HOT design
8 miles open
3 miles barrier
14 miles –open
2 miles shoulder
“Managed corridor”
Access 75% closed 75% open
Comparison MnPASS Corridors (cont.)
I-394 I-35W
Enforcement 3 agencies
Adequate shoulders
1 agency
Limited shoulders
Violation Rate 30%+ (before)
<10% (after)
50%+ (before)
10% (goal for after)
Cost $10 M $3.5 M + TBD
Toll ranges Min: $0.25/Max: $8 Min: $0.25 Max: $8
Bottleneck
Enhancements
Add GP capacity after
Add GP capacity before
Controversy Lots Little
What’s Next for MN Congestion Pricing?
• By 2010 all existing HOV lanes converted to HOT• Seeking MnPASS expansion opportunities under
several design concepts:– 2 mile extension of I-35W HOT lane in 2011– Studying managed/priced shoulder lanes on
I-94 for 2010+ deployment– Development of MnPASS lane using movable barrier
• Concept developed, in modeling study now
– More dynamic shoulders under study
Questions and More Information
Visit
www.mnpass.org
Or
www.dot.state.mn.us/upaor Contact: