MANAGED LANES OFFER CHOICES, FLEXIBILITY

The Texas Transportation Institute is carrying out a multi-part study to guide Texas transportation officials in design and use of managed lanes. Among the topics to be addressed are: the responsibilities of the agency in charge of the roadway where a managed lane will be established; operational concerns such as how and when to restrict access; design elements to make managed lane stand out from the conventional infrastructure without interfering with regular operations; sign and pavement markings; and definition of what a managed lane can accomplish in a given situation. Because many managed lanes will have to be integrated into existing roadways, more technology might be needed to make the lane a differentiated element.