To achieve the vision, the plan outlines four primary areas of focus: Encompass the views of stakeholders working together under a renewed commitment to partnership that includes coordination, communication and mutual support.Ī group of stakeholders comprised of executive directors, policy makers, technical staff, and operational managers from regional transportation agencies, California Highway Patrol, Federal Highway Administration, and Caltrans, convened and developed this Business Plan as an initial step toward a new generation of HOV and Express Lane.Measure performance using consistent statewide procedures for research, data collection and performance reporting, enabling decision making and allowing the HOV/Express Lane system to be managed and operated efficiently.Conform, where possible, to established policies, standards, and guidelines, while making changes to enable innovative project development and management as needs, methods, and technologies evolve. Provide, for the driver’s benefit, consistent facilities with coordinated, recognizable design and a seamlessly connected network.Offer new and reliable mobility choices.A consensus vision for the future of Express Lane in California is defined in the Business Plan. These strategies would include the ability to make careful yet bold decisions of design geometry, access, striping, signing, hours of operation, minimum occupancy requirements, toll technologies and strategies, implementation phasing, partnership roles, and more. Part of the State’s plan is to provide transportation agencies the direction and flexibility needed to aggressively initiate innovative congestion management strategies. To restore acceptable service levels, the State of California is embarking on an evolutionary approach to enhance the HOV and Express Lane system. Monitoring and managing system performance.The state level challenges being addressed by this Business Plan include: Many other very important issues are being addressed and decided appropriately at a local level. This Business Plan focuses on those aspects of HOV and Express Lane development and operations that can and should be addressed at a state level to increase California’s ability to manage congestion with HOV and Express Lane. The ability of the HOV system to reduce congestion will diminish under current operating approaches if no action is taken. At the same time, other portions of the HOV system are actually underutilized and may require a new operating strategy. HOV lanes succeeded in providing an express service incentive for motorists to double-up and carpool, but according to a recent Federal report on their performance, nearly half of California’s HOV lanes are now congested during peak hours due to high demand. Today over 1,500 miles of HOV lanes, including three Express Lanes, are either operational or under construction with over 1,200 additional miles of HOV or Express Lane programmed or proposed. Over the last 30 years, a system of HOV lanes has developed as part of the California freeway system another innovation, Express Lane were first added to the system more than 15 years ago. In this Business Plan, Caltrans, regional transportation agencies, FHWA and the CHP, have developed a coordinated framework to guide the current and future development and operation of HOV and Express Lane throughout the state, capitalizing on strong partnerships and operating strategies already in place. The ultimate vision is a transportation system offering new commute choices and more reliable travel through congested corridors where congestion is managed and the availability of an express service option is greatly improved, and where governments at all levels work together to manage demand with effective monitoring and adjustment of operations and design. The California HOV/Express Lane Business Plan is a framework for Caltrans and its partners to focus statewide activity during 2009-2011 that will lead the state to easily implement more flexible and effective system management strategies for HOV and Express Lane, also known as High Occupancy Tolling (HOT) or Managed Lane.
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