Meeting_Body
AD HOC CONGESTION, HIGHWAY AND ROADS COMMITTEE
JANUARY 18, 2017
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: METRO EXPRESSLANES FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2016 PERFORMANCE REPORT
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE the FY2016 Performance Report (Attachment A) for the Metro ExpressLanes.
Issue
ISSUE
In order to monitor performance and ensure key performance goals are met, Metro ExpressLanes performance metrics are monitored on a continual basis. This report provides an update on the performance of the Metro ExpressLanes for FY 2016.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Attachment A provides a detailed summary of the program’s performance for Metro’s Fiscal Year 2016 (July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016). The following are highlights of the Metro ExpressLanes performance based upon data through June 30, 2016:
• Monthly average travel speeds for the entire corridor were 11% faster than the general purpose lanes and remain above 45 miles per hour (mph) 100% of the time:
o I-110 ExpressLanes average AM peak-period travel speeds : 52 mph
o I-10 ExpressLanes average AM peak-period travel speeds : 55 mph
• Through FY 2016 the total number of vehicle trips approached 100 million and vehicle trips in the ExpressLanes continued to increase by 12% compared to FY 2015.
• A total of 506,031 transponders were issued from program inception through June 30, 2016 (145,459 were issued in FY 2016).
• Low Income Assistance Plan account openings increased by 51.2% from FY 2015.
• HOV only minutes increased markedly for the I-110 NB during the AM peak period.
• HOV only minutes decreased for the I-10 WB during the AM peak where HOV 3 is required for toll free travel.
110 Northbound AM Peak Period
With the continued increase in vehicle trips on the I-110 Northbound ExpressLanes, the system is going into HOV ONLY more frequently during the northbound morning peak period. As a result, staff is monitoring the impact on travel speeds.
HOV Only Status
The ExpressLanes are operated on dynamic pricing principles designed to maintain travel speeds at or above 45mph. When vehicle travel speeds fall below 45 mph on a segment of the lanes, the lanes go into HOV Only status which means Single Occupant Vehicles are prohibited from entering the lanes at that segment to help alleviate the congestion and raise the speeds.
Due to the toll free status of HOV 2 customers and the higher number of vehicle trips on the northbound I-110 ExpressLanes; these lanes enter HOV Only status more frequently than the I-10 corridor. In FY 2016, the 110 was in HOV Only status a total of 18,370 minutes during the AM peak period. This is a 90% increase compared to FY 2015.
Average Travel Speeds
During FY 2016, a daily average of 28,419 vehicles traveled the I-110NB ExpressLanes, which is a 4% increase from the prior year. Because of this increase in volume, overall, average travel speeds during the AM peak period were 3.9% lower compared to FY 2015. This is directly related to the increase in the number of vehicles using the ExpressLanes. Staff is implementing a number of operational improvements (refining the pricing algorithm, deploying a vehicle passenger detection system, providing incentives to shift customers’ travel times, etc.) to reduce the amount of time the lanes enter HOV only status.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will return to the Board in six months with the next performance report and will continue work on implementing the operational improvements listed in the report.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Metro ExpressLanes Performance Report: Fiscal Year 2016
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Michel’le Davis, Principal Transportation Planner, 213.922.1222
Kathleen McCune, DEO, Congestion Reduction, 213.922.7241
Shahrzad Amiri, Executive Officer, Congestion Reduction, 213.922.3061
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Stephanie Wiggins, Deputy CEO, 213.922-1023
