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SR 237 Express Lanes Policy Implications and Lessons Learned

Murali Ramanujam, Casey Emoto & Gene Gonzalo

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)

2

Silicon Valley

May 5, 2016

3

SR 237 Express Lanes

Conversion of HOV to HOV Connector

May 5, 2016

GP Connector

HOV Connector

May 5, 2016

5

SR 237 Express Lanes

Increased Express Lanes Usage

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6

SR 237 Express Lanes

Average Corridor Speeds (FY 2016 Quarter 3)

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Westbound

Eastbound

7

SR 237 Express Lanes

Downstream congestion (HOV Only)

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8

SR 237 Express Lanes

Occupancy Requirement

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9

SR 237 Express Lanes

Clean Air Vehicle Count

May 5, 2016

Date 1/14/2016 2/4/2016 3/16/2016 Average Percent

Time 8:00-9:00 AM 8:00-9:00 AM 8:00-9:00 AM

Tolled Vehicles 167 162 236 188 13%

Clean Air Vehicles 573 507 605 562 38%

Carpool 787 641 728 719 49%

Total 1527 1310 1569 1,469 100%

Date 1/13/2016 2/22/2016 3/16/2016 Average Percent

Time 4:30-5:30 PM 4:30-5:30 PM 4:30-5:30 PM

Tolled Vehicles 186 195 155 179 14%

Clean Air Vehicles 334 385 481 400 31%

Carpool 768 761 580 703 55%

Total 1,288 1,341 1,216 1,282 100%

Morning Peak Hour

Afternoon Peak Hour

10

Green Car for The Masses

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11

SR 237 Express Lanes

FY 2015 CHP Citations Summary

May 5, 2016

DWL Crossing

(7%)

Carpool (73%)

Speed

(4%)

Seatbelt (1%)

Cell Phone (3%)

Primary Collision

Factor (3%)

Mechanical (9%)

DWL Crossing Carpool

Speed Seatbelt

Cell Phone Primary Collision Factor

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Pri

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oll

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Fa

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Total

FY (2015)537 110 39 390 22 4 17 18 47

12

SR 237 Express Lanes

FasTrak Flex Switchable Transponders

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13

Access arrangement

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14

SR 237 Express Lanes

Tolled Revenue by Month

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0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

To

lled

Rev

nu

e

Month

FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016

March 2015 –

EB Max - $4 to $5

November 2015 –

EB Max - $5 to $6

WB Max- $6 to $7

April 2015 –

WB Max - $5 to $6

15

Policy Implications on Operations

• Performance metric – minimum speed

• HOV requirement and exemptions

• Enforcement – toll violation or occupancy violation

• Business rules – tag requirement

• Toll rate – cap or no cap

• Goal – maximize revenue or throughput

• Hours of operations – peak period or 24/7

May 5, 2016

16

What Are The Lessons Learned?

• Focus on providing “Express” or reliable trip

• Expand hours of operations beyond peak period

• Use automation techniques to capture toll violation

enforcement

• Implement dual lane Express Lanes where possible

• Engage users to get input through user group and

provide real-time information

May 5, 2016

Murali Ramanujam

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)

Murali.Ramanujam@vta.org

(408) 952-8905