
An Engineer from Parsons Explains Mitigation Plans for Where the I-110 Meets Adams Blvd.
When Metro first announced its plans to convert HOV Lanes to variable toll, or HOT Lanes, you would have thought a bomb went off. Newspapers panned the idea, and politicians from the San Gabriel Valley were so worried about "charging people for lanes they already paid for" that they got the originally planned pilot program changed so that it didn't include the I-210.
However, Metro has been promised over $210 million from the federal government in exchange for agreeing to pilot congestion pricing on two highways, so the plans to implement tolling on certain lanes on parts of the I-10 and I-110 moved forward.
After attending a meeting in South Los Angeles last night, it's hard to imagine anyone would have a problem with Metro's current vision for Congestion Pricing. The watered down proposal, which needs to go into place by December of 2010 to qualify for federal funds, wouldn't remove any cars from the current HOV Lanes. Transit vehicles, three passenger vehicles, hybrids, van pools, and in some places two passenger vehicles will all still ride for free in the converted HOV Lanes. As another sign that Metro is moving away from traditional congestion pricing, they've even dropped the term "HOT Lanes" referring instead to "Fast Lanes" for the converted HOV Lanes.
Unless there is a re-striping of part of the I-10 between I-605 and I-710, there won't be any opportunity to "buy-in" during rush hour on the I-10 and limited ability to "buy-in" on the I-110. Materials handed our during the meeting indicate that the I-110 is almost full in peak hours and cars would only be able to buy-in during limited times when space is available. Fear of angering anyone has led to a program that has no plan to preserve HOV lane capacity during peak hours. Wasn't the reason for this plan to protect the HOV lanes from congestion?
In other words, if you were expecting this proposal to change commuting patterns, you're going to be upset. If you drive your kid to private school or happened to buy the right kind of hybrid to qualify for the state's sticker program five years ago, you're going to be thrilled.
Continue...