HOT LANES, ROAD PRICING, AND HOV DOUBTS: 91 EXPRESS LANES SUGGEST NEW DIRECTION IN HIGHWAY POLICY

High occupancy/toll (HOT) lanes and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes are compared and contrasted in this article that questions the future role of congestion pricing in highway policy. The world's first fully automated toll road in Orange County, California, is also the first test of congestion pricing in North America. State Route 91 (SR91), which runs parallel to the new 91 Express Lanes, has already seen considerable congestion relief in the non-tolled general purpose lanes as a result of the HOT lanes. This article describes two kinds of congestion pricing, static and dynamic. Static congestion pricing is characterized by multiple toll levels that are fixed for specified periods during each day of the week. Dynamic congestion pricing uses real time information to vary tolls based on changing demand. The value of HOV lanes is also being questioned as research reveals that the benefits of HOV lanes may not be what they were once thought to be. A final discussion focuses on rethinking the HOV concept in light of the examples like the 91 HOT lanes.