Local Metro Board Votes To Extend Toll Lane Program, Adds New Charge

[cpzilliacus]

KNX Radio/CBS Los Angeles: Metro Board Votes To Extend Toll Lane Program, Adds New Charge

Metro officials Thursday unanimously voted to extend the successful toll lane program on the 10 and 110 freeways beyond January 2015.

Prior to the vote, the board reviewed a report prepared by federal transportation officials which found the county's experimental toll lanes made some rush-hour commutes faster, but made little difference during other commutes.

The report found that drivers traveling west on the 10 Freeway around 7:30 a.m. may have driven up to 18 miles per hour faster when using a toll lane.

[andy3175]

I found the following excerpt from the article interesting:

Tolls start at 25 cents per mile and increase up to $1.40 a mile as lanes become more crowded. Metro has collected more than $23 million in tolls over the past 14 months, which will go back into freeway improvements. The board also voted 8-3 Thursday to charge a $1 fee per toll road user each month to help cover operation costs.

That last point about the monthly maintenance fee is the primary reason why I don't have a transponder. The cost to hold onto a transponder when I might use it only a few times per year negates any cost savings and instead becomes a burden.

It is also impressive how high tolls can get as congestion mounts.

[Chris]

$1.40 a mile

That makes you wonder how high the tolls may get if population and traffic growth continues. At some point you just need to add capacity or alternate routes instead of pricing people off the road / into congestion (the whole "pricing off lower value trips" concept). At $ 1.40 per mile you pay twice the minimum wage or more for a 30 minute commute.

[TheStranger]

That last point about the monthly maintenance fee is the primary reason why I don't have a transponder. The cost to hold onto a transponder when I might use it only a few times per year negates any cost savings and instead becomes a burden.

Is that only for SoCal Fastrak account holders?  In NorCal having a transponder is free, but with the catch of having a minimum account balance most of the time.

[myosh_tino]

That last point about the monthly maintenance fee is the primary reason why I don't have a transponder. The cost to hold onto a transponder when I might use it only a few times per year negates any cost savings and instead becomes a burden.

Is that only for SoCal Fastrak account holders?  In NorCal having a transponder is free, but with the catch of having a minimum account balance most of the time.

We're the lucky up here in northern California because the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) and the Golden Gate Bridge District do not charge monthly fees.  Just about all SoCal tolling agencies have some sort of minimum charge whether they be tolls plus a maintenance fee or a minimum usage threshold.

Now before you guys in SoCal sign-up through BATA keep in mind that *if* the majority of toll activity comes from outside the S.F. Bay Area, you are subject to a maintenance fee.  Also, the BATA does not issue the "switchable" transponders which are issued by Metro (MTA?).