An Orientation to Today s Webinar Chuck Fuhs Parsons Brinckerhoff 1 April 1, 2010
Managed Lanes Buffer Not Separated Barrier Pylon 2
Managed Lane Operational Strategies Eligibility/occupancy Access control Congestion pricing 3
4 Original Signing and Marking Examples
Where Managed Lanes on Freeways Are Located HOV lanes Toll express and HOT lanes In development 5
Challenges Being Experienced Different user groups More types of sponsors Higher lane volumes Different designs Increasing operational complexity 6
Agenda Orientation to Managed Lanes (Chuck Fuhs, Parsons Brinckerhoff) Introduction to the 2009 MUTCD Managed Lanes Chapter (Kevin Sylvester, FHWA) Managed Lane Signing-A State Perspective (Joe Rouse, Caltrans) Questions from Participants 7
Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD Managed Lanes Joint Subcommittee April 1, 2010 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
MUTCD 2009 Edition Final Rule issued December 16, 2009 Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD New MUTCD became effective January 15, 2010 Can be accessed electronically at http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov Printed copies can be purchased from AASHTO, ATSSA, ITE 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Provisions for Signing of Toll Roads and Preferential and Managed Lanes Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD Provisions for signing consolidated into two separate chapters in Part 2: Chapter 2F Toll Road Signs Chapter 2G Preferential and Managed Lane Signs Regulatory, Warning, and Guide signs Relevant provisions elsewhere in Part 2 referenced to minimize duplication 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
New and revised regulatory signs for preferential lanes Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD New plaque 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD New signs for HOV lanes that become general-purpose lanes (occupancy requirement ends, but the lane continues) Diamond on post-mounted signs now always at top of sign 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Guide signs for preferential lanes Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Electronic Tolling and Pricing Purple background and underlay panels, ETC pictographs Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD Only for portion of sign displaying ETC registration requirement NOT for destinations or other uses 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Applicability of purple and definition of ETC Account-Only Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD ETC Account-Only : Registration in a toll account program required Independent of specific collection technology (Could be transponder, bar code/optical decal, optical recognition of license plate, etc ) Not for photo or video tolling where users are billed later and registration is not required Signing for this type of toll road same as for traditional cash toll road ETC header not used 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Examples of guide signing for entrances to toll highways Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD CMS for Priced Managed Highways (all lanes managed) 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
New signs for priced managed lanes Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD Note that the HOV Diamond symbol is not used on lanes that allow non-hov traffic 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
New regulatory signs for priced managed lanes Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
New toll rate signs for priced managed lanes Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
New guide signs for priced managed lanes Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Guide signs for managed lanes comparative travel times Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Guide signs for priced managed lanes general-purpose lane becomes the managed lane Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Guide signs for priced managed lanes entrances from crossroad Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Guide signs for priced managed lanes separate entrances from same crossroad Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
New Chapter 3D Markings for preferential lanes Revisions Incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD - Consolidated information, added managed lanes - Markings for for bufferseparated and counterflow preferential lanes - Symbols, words, dotted extension lines at key decision points 2009 MUTCD (Final Rule)
Managed Lane Signing Where we ve been Where we re going Presented By Joe Rouse California Department of Transportation Division of Traffic Operations Office of Managed Lanes 1
System Inventory Lane-miles 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 HOV Express Lane Operating In Construction Planned 2
HOV Regulatory Signing 381 3
HOV Guide Signing 4
Signing has improved over time 5
We ve also regressed 6
The 91 Express Toll Lanes First in nation All users must have FasTrak ETC transponders No exits for 10 miles Variable toll rate Discounts for numerous classes of motorists 7
Fixed Signing Based on existing HOV signs 8
Changeable Message Signs 9
Next The I-15 Express Lanes Originally reversible HOV facility Underutilized Demonstration project 10
Existing Changeable Message Signs 11
Modified Fixed Signing New CMS 12
Success Leads To Expansion Widen and extend existing I-15 facility Multiple access points Separated ingress/egress from freeway Direct access ramps from transit centers 13
Fixed Signing Approach New signs and modified HOV signs 14
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I-680 Sunol Grade Interim SB HOV facility opened in 2002 Converting to Express Lane by September 2010 16
Fixed signing New signs and modified HOV signs 17
A need for guidance from Sacramento Local requests for statewide policies Began work on state guidelines Referred to NPA Compiled info from all state Express Lane projects Goal was to identify best practices 18
Los Angeles CRD Project Project converts 2 existing HOV facilities to HOT Detailed FHWA involvement in signing strategies New policies, different from NPA 19
Fixed Signs Based on verbal guidance from FHWA LEFT tab No diamond Pricing Signs Utilizes full CMS due to varying occupancy requirements 20
Sample Replacement Signing 21
Implementing state standards CTCDC gives OK Experimentation Used NPA, MdTA, 91XL, LA CRD signs as guide HOV reserved for Express Lanes only Draft update written for California MUTCD Release of 2009 MUTCD changes things 22
Compliance Plans No change for operating facilities Facilities in construction may convert Not I-15 Possibly I-680 Facilities in planning and design will need to comply with federal standards California will adopt federal standards for HOV signs May adopt federal standards for pavement markings 23
MUTCD Guidance Concerns R3-44/R3-44a may not fit in a retrofit situation No standard detail for mounting LEFT tabs 24
I-580 Express Lane Interregional route Partial conversion of HOV, partial new construction Dual lane facility First signing plans similar to I-680 25
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Thank You For More Information: Joe Rouse California Department of Transportation Division of Traffic Operations (916) 654-6448 jrouse@dot.ca.gov 28
For more information Visit the website for TRB Committee AHB35: High-Occupancy Vehicles, High-Occupancy Toll and Managed Lanes http://www.hovworld.com/
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