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I recently authored an #NCHRP report that looked at how transpo agencies confront challenges with #congestionpricing and #managedlanes. Unfortunately, a few tweets have surfaced that have completely fabricated its contents. Let me refute the claims http://nap.edu/25924 1/30+
First of all, a disclaimer: The scope of the report was meant to gather existing information; fragmented and scattered across 700+ reports, media articles, and agency documents. A state-of-the-practice perspective that did not offer any opinions or develop any guidance. 2/30+
In the case of #managedlanes, #HOTlanes, and #tolling, agencies can a do a wide number of things under that umbrella. They can greatly expand the number of lanes or they can choose to convert existing lanes. They can focus on revenue generation or on transit and carpooling. 3/30+
Claim #1: "A one-sided report that solely advocates for expanding freeways and more concrete." Response: Absolutely, nowhere in report, does it advocate for expanding freeways. In fact, the report makes many mentions of investing millions into transit (4/30+)
From Page #28: At least 13 states want to improve transit service and incentivize transit use. More than those who want to focus on economic activity and revenue generation (5/30+)
From Page 24: Examples of heavy transit investment in Los Angeles and Minnesota (6/30+)
From Page 32 & 33: Decreasing bus headways from 30 to 15 minutes in Miami (7/30+)
From Page 36: Millions of dollars in transit investment for Los Angeles to support new buses, routes, and park-and-ride improvements (8/30+)
From Page 38: Big increase in transit ridership as a result of that investment. "Roughly one-third of new bus riders used to travel in SOVs." (9/30+)
From Page 47: The Commuter Choice Program in Northern Virginia focuses on increasing person throughput and providing a reliable trip. "Identify and fund projects that move more people." No mention of vehicles in the goals. (10/30+)
From Page 57: A significant finding. Agencies that principally focused on revenue generation and freeway expansion had a much harder path to implementation and public acceptance. Others that reinvested excess tolls into transit had an easier time. (11/30+)
Claim #2: "Equity is purely a matter of public perception." The report cited a number of example of how agencies addressed equity, beyond considering public perceptions. A whole section on how agencies addressed equity starts on Page 24. (12/30+)
More from Page 24: Referencing low-income and minority populations who lack access to bank accounts, credit/debit cards. "Engage minority populations and low-income individuals in the planning process." (13/30+)
From Page 29: 14 out of 16 states cite equity as having a high-level of importance on project implementation (14/30+)
Claim #3: "Interviews DOTs, doesn't talk to critics." The project budget only had enough funds to interview states. No budget to cover surveys and focus groups for the 50+ priced managed lanes. However, the report cites the need to listen to local residents. (15/30+)
From Page 22: Citing local opposition due to placement of a heavy burden (16/30+)
From Page 29: 12 of 16 states list local residents as having a high-level of importance on project implementation (17/30+)
From Page 37: Los Angeles developed a net-toll investment program to direct toll proceeds back into the local community. Focused on residents who live within three miles of the corridor and do not receive any direct benefits. (18/30+)
From Page 43: Local outreach from Washington State (19/30+)
From Page 43: Background on local opposition in Arlington County, VA (20/30+)
From Page 51: Story of conflict between state legislators and local leaders in Texas (21/30+)
Page 54: North Carolina convened a local advisory group that "consisted of local elected officials and community leaders, with some individuals who were in favor of the project and some who were opposed." (22/30+)
Claim #4: Criticism of the statement that dynamic tolling is confusing to the general public. Response: People easily understand the concept of generating revenue through tolls. But, all of the other goals of demand management are much harder to initially communicate. (23/30+)
From Page 9: Confusion and skepticism about tolling (24/30+)
That confusion leads agencies to implement maximum toll caps, which can cause congestion and degraded transit performance. Dynamic pricing is supposed to get the lanes at optimum flow, that *sweet spot* that moves the most people. People don't understand traffic flow. (25/30+)
A whole section on Pages 15, 16, and 17: (26/39)
Another whole section on public confusion on Page 19 (27/39)
A third section on public misunderstanding. "A vast majority of participants believed that congestion is a critical problem but felt that managed lanes are not an effective solution to reducing demand" (28/39)
From Page 54: A number of North Carolina residents thought that priced managed lanes came with a toll booth. Also, more background on explaining traffic flow concepts, dynamic pricing, and overall confusion. (29/39)
Claim #5: Cops on a highway cause people to slow down. Response: No duh. Isn't this common knowledge? Traffic congestion is a poor solution for encouraging people to take transit. All of the negative externalities associated with more queues, more crashes, stopped buses (30/39)
For context, the complete paragraph on Page 18: Balancing HOV enforcement with managing overall speed (31/39)
Claim #6: Agencies can use a wide variety of public engagement techniques. Response: Yes, it is good for agencies to try to wide variety of engagement techniques. It helps with reaching out to disadvantaged populations and it helps with equity. (32/39)
A whole section on public engagement begins on Page 20: (33/39)
From Page 24: A variety of public engagement techniques for disadvantaged populations (34/39)
Claim #7: The report does not cite Federal statue on environmental justice (35/39)
From Page 11: Entire section on Federal Policy, and that "Tolling projects must, according to federal law, consider environmental and equity concerns due to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964" (36/39)
Claim #8: "Highway agencies should manipulate media..." Response: Agencies should be transparent, and not hide from the media. (37/39)
Research from Atlanta on "Lexus Lanes" https://www.wlrn.org/the-end-of-the-road/2014-06-23/are-lexus-lanes-really-lexus-lanes (38/39)
Research from Washington State on "Lexus Lanes" https://mynorthwest.com/405198/cant-call-them-the-lexus-lanes/ (39/39)
