Managed Lanes Handbook

Texas cities are currently considering the managed lane concept for major freeway projects. As a new concept of operating freeways in a flexible and possibly dynamic manner, the managed lane concept has a limited experience base, thereby creating a knowledge vacuum in emerging key areas that are critical for effective implementation. Complicating the effort is the rapid progress of several freeway improvement projects in Texas in which managed lane operations are proposed. The operational experience both in Texas and nationally for managed lanes is minimal, particularly for extensive freeway reconstruction projects. The managed lane projects currently in existence involve retrofits of existing freeway sections within highly fixed access, geometric, and operational configurations, and established eligibility considerations. There are few projects in operation from which to draw experiential data on the implementation of managed lane freeway sections with complex or multiple operational strategies, including variations in eligible vehicle user groups by time of day. The Managed Lanes Handbook was developed for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to help the staff make informed planning, design, and operational decisions when considering managed lanes facilities for its jurisdiction. This document presents the critical research results obtained over the five years of the related research project. The research is presented in a usable format, providing a clear, concise, and step-wise approach to planning, designing, operating, and enforcing a managed lanes facility. It also refers the user to other pertinent documents that provide additional detailed information on various aspects of managed lanes.