ISTHA, Pace propose HOT lanes on Tri-State Tollway

[rawmustard]

The "green lane" toll road concept proposed last year by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich is back, this time with Pace and the Illinois Tollway pushing a plan to designate express bus and carpool lanes on the Tri-State Tollway.

The agencies are seeking $200 million in federal stimulus funding to get express buses running between job-scarce areas in the south suburbs and employment opportunities in the west and northwest.

If funding is approved, the so-called high-occupancy-toll or HOT lanes could be opened on the Tri-State by early 2012, officials said Wednesday.

(rest of Tribune article)

Sounds to me like it's a scheme to keep the orange barrels around just a little longer. How much would a Pace fare compare with the costs of driving one's own I-PASS-equipped vehicle through the proposed area?

[mightyace]

The "green lane" toll road concept proposed last year by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich is back, this time with Pace and the Illinois Tollway pushing a plan to designate express bus and carpool lanes on the Tri-State Tollway.

The agencies are seeking $200 million in federal stimulus funding to get express buses running between job-scarce areas in the south suburbs and employment opportunities in the west and northwest.

If funding is approved, the so-called high-occupancy-toll or HOT lanes could be opened on the Tri-State by early 2012, officials said Wednesday.

(rest of Tribune article)

Sounds to me like it's a scheme to keep the orange barrels around just a little longer. How much would a Pace fare compare with the costs of driving one's own I-PASS-equipped vehicle through the proposed area?

You're already paying a toll to use the Tri-State anyway.  They want to charge a second toll to use the HOT lanes? 

[rawmustard]

You're already paying a toll to use the Tri-State anyway.  They want to charge a second toll to use the HOT lanes? 

Plus, there's that messy issue with a supposedly self-supporting toll authority going for stimulus funds. Just about everything in this plan seems a little fishy. But I wouldn't expect anything less in Illinois. All of a sudden, I have this feeling they'll want to charge me whether I actually go on the HOT lanes or not.

[WISFreeways]

Why not just build HOV lanes and charge extra for the tolls? Then the commuters wouldn't notice

[rawmustard]

Why not just build HOV lanes and charge extra for the tolls? Then the commuters wouldn't notice

In effect, that's precisely what they're proposing.

[WISFreeways]

Hm, I thought they were going to use transponders.

[rawmustard]

With Pace cutting its tollway routes, it would seem to me that the HOT lane proposal on the Tri-State is dead, considering Pace was a primary partner in the idea.

[Brandon]

With Pace cutting its tollway routes, it would seem to me that the HOT lane proposal on the Tri-State is dead, considering Pace was a primary partner in the idea.

To be quite honest, I never thought ridership would ever be decent on those routes.  Most folks who use the Tollway for commuting tend to go from dispersed residential areas to dispersed work locations.  You have people who come from various locations to one job location, and people who live in one area going to various job locations.  Pace buses (and mass transit/HOV) just don't work well in those conditions.  On the other hand, Pace is keeping their I-55 Flyer from Bolingbrook to Chicago.  There are enough people who use it to go from the suburb to the city that it works.

[3467]

Also with the widenings to 8 lanes  and teh reat Recession I have have noticed that there has been very little congestion on the tollways (as well as many subruban arterials)
It would make more sense on the IKE It may be the only way to do the project.

[jwags]

How would the HOV vehicles be separated from the I-Pass vehicles to pay the HOT lane toll?

[Brandon]

How would the HOV vehicles be separated from the I-Pass vehicles to pay the HOT lane toll?

No idea since no one ever gave any details.  It was a Blago scheme, i.e. high on idealism, low on details.

[jwags]

How would the HOV vehicles be separated from the I-Pass vehicles to pay the HOT lane toll?

No idea since no one ever gave any details.  It was a Blago scheme, i.e. high on idealism, low on details.

I noticed right away when the idea was first introduced that it made no sense to add these lanes to a road that was just fully redone.  Who in the world would pay extra tolls on a road that you already have to pay tolls on to use in the first place?