Numbers show I-85 HOT lanes are working

[cpzilliacus]

AJC.COM:  Gridlock Guy: Numbers show I-85 HOT lanes are working

Lets pretend you own a business. In January of 2012 your business had 254,075 customers. Not too shabby. A year later, in January of 2013, you increased your number of customers to 401,183 people. That's pretty impressive year-to-year growth, not matter what business you are in.

Now imagine this. Not only did you increase the amount of customers that you had, but each customer spent almost 12 percent more with you in January of 2013 then they did in 2012.

I'm not a business expert, and I don't have a business degree from Wharton, but I think generally, your business would be considered a success. Agreed? Well, if that sounds right to you then you have to agree that the Interstate 85 HOT Express Lanes are a success.

[jeffandnicole]

Depends. 

Say you intended to offer a product for $100.  If people paid $100 for that product, and now more people are buying that product, and everyone is paying $112 for that product, then yes, it's a success.

But what if you intended to offer a product for $100, and the costs to produce that product was $80.  No one is buying, so you reduce the price to $90.  Again, no one is buying, so you reduce it to $80 (cost).  Still, no one is buying, so you reduce it again to $70, and take out a loan to stay in business.  Finally, people start buying.  A year later, more people are buying, and they're spending today 12% more...which is $78.40; still below cost.  Is that considered a success?  Not really.

The author isn't a business expert, but that shouldn't matter.  Actually, a 16 year old in high school can understand that if they have $100, they can't buy something worth $112 without taking out a loan. 

[cpzilliacus]

The author isn't a business expert, but that shouldn't matter.  Actually, a 16 year old in high school can understand that if they have $100, they can't buy something worth $112 without taking out a loan. 

I agree.  I don't know enough about the I-85 corridor in Atlanta (though I have driven it a fair number of times, at least the on northeast side of I-285) to know how well the managed lanes there are working.

A friend on another venue (who lives down that way) is not so enthused about these lanes.

[Mapmikey]

I drove I-85 northeast of the Atlanta beltway on a Saturday in February and noticed that the toll rates charged for some segments as low as $0.02.  Even though mainline I-85 was crowded (though at highway speed) there was nobody using the lanes.  I think the highest rate I saw for multiple segments was under 40 cents...

Mapmikey

[MBHockey13]

When I was in Atlanta a few weeks ago I would have used them, but they don't work with EZPass, so I was out.

Let's just work on getting everyone on EZPass and call it a day.

[cpzilliacus]

When I was in Atlanta a few weeks ago I would have used them, but they don't work with EZPass, so I was out.

Let's just work on getting everyone on EZPass and call it a day.

It would be really nice if the toll roads and toll crossings in every state served by the East (which I define as states served by Interstates 65, 75, 85 and 95) would join the E-ZPass Group.

[NE2]

the East (which I define as states served by Interstates 65, 75, 85 and 95)

Sorry, Vermont.

[tdindy88]

Ditto Illinois, and they already have EZPass.

[MBHockey13]

When I was in Atlanta a few weeks ago I would have used them, but they don't work with EZPass, so I was out.

Let's just work on getting everyone on EZPass and call it a day.

It would be really nice if the toll roads and toll crossings in every state served by the East (which I define as states served by Interstates 65, 75, 85 and 95) would join the E-ZPass Group.

Amen. Just all states in general. Canada, too.

[Alps]

the East (which I define as states served by Interstates 65, 75, 85 and 95)

Sorry, Vermont.

Get back to us when Vermont has a toll road. And I don't mean these: http://www.tollfinder.com/states/VT/

When I was in Atlanta a few weeks ago I would have used them, but they don't work with EZPass, so I was out.

Let's just work on getting everyone on EZPass and call it a day.

It would be really nice if the toll roads and toll crossings in every state served by the East (which I define as states served by Interstates 65, 75, 85 and 95) would join the E-ZPass Group.

Amen. Just all states in general. Canada, too.

Seconded. Thirded with my other hand.

[cpzilliacus]

TOLLROADSnews: Georgia SRTA gets industry "awards" for disastrous mismanagement of I-85 Express Lanes planning and launch + COMMENT

Of all the launches of toll express or HOT lanes projects - and there are over 25 operating now - by far the worst was Georgia I-85 Express Lanes, on the northeast side of Atlanta. Every day for the first days of the launch early October 2011 the lanes were virtually empty, while congestion alongside was noticeably worse than before they were instituted. Georgia SRTA screwed up royally.

The reason was simple, it turned out later. Their dynamic pricing algorithm was underweighted for traffic density in the express lanes themselves and foolishly was set to respond most strongly to changes in traffic density in the general purpose lanes. The more traffic crammed into the GP lanes the higher went the tolls and the fewer vehicles took the Express Lanes.

[Tomahawkin]

The I-85 Toll lanes were at a record rate of $7.10 the other morning...It seems that The Rest of the HOV lanes on both I-75 and I-85 Interstates in Atlanta are going to be switched to toll lanes in the next few years. Has anyone other than me noticed that they have removed the previous HOV signs that were on every sign-bridge? Those signs were put in from 1996-1998 and have been removed, the only HOV signs are now just located on the Jersey barriers....

[Thing 342]

I haven't been to Atlanta since Thanksgiving, but when I was there, I only saw maybe four or five cars using the lanes. They don't seem like a success to me.

[mtantillo]

It's nice to have a lane to yourself for $0.16....where you can easily drive 75+. 

It's annoying to have multiple toll transponders on your windshield though (Peach Pass and E-ZPass and 407-ETR transponders all co-exist peacefully and don't conflict with one another).