If you drive on the I-110 between the 91 and downtown LA or on the I-10 from downtown to the 605, come next year your HOV sticker on your shinny electric car wont be very useful. Expect to pay from .25 to 1.40 per mile. For the same privileged I enjoy today and my primary incentive to buy my leaf will then cost me an average of $160 per month. (Metro estimates avg toll from end to end to be $4. Also note that they are going to use switching fastrak transponders so every other transponder in the state currently wont let you carpool in these lanes unless they are switched out.
Here is the rate schedule:
ExpressLanes Demonstration Business Rule
I-110 Harbor Transitway Lanes Only
SOV Pay
HOV 2+ Free
I-10 El Monte Busway Lanes Only
SOV Pay
HOV-2 Pay: Peak Hours
(5am–9am; 4pm–7pm)
HOV-2 Free: Off-Peak Hours
HOV 3+ Free All Hours
I sent the following email to the [email protected] to clarify the statutory basis for this policy:
I am a resident of the city of Torrance and a commuter who every
weekday morning enters the 110 near the Artesia Transit Center and
exits at Adam Avenue and then in the evening returns home by the same
route. I live in the South Bay and work downtown. I currently drive
a Nissan Leaf which replaced my Toyota Prius in May of this year. I am
trying to understand why the current toll plan does not provide the
same preferential treatment for ZEV vehicles regardless of occupancy
as required by V.C. Section 21655.9?
"21655.9. (a) (1) Whenever the Department of Transportation or a
local authority authorizes or permits exclusive or preferential use of
highway lanes or highway access ramps for high-occupancy vehicles
pursuant to Section 21655.5, the use of those lanes or ramps shall
also be extended to vehicles that are issued distinctive decals,
labels, or other identifiers pursuant to Section 5205.5 regardless of
vehicle occupancy or ownership."
While I do understand that section 5205.5(k) excludes AT-PZEV vehicles
from this exemption:
"(k) Notwithstanding Section 21655.9, a vehicle described in paragraph
(5) of subdivision (a) shall not be exempt from toll charges imposed
on single occupant vehicles in lanes designated for tolls pursuant to
the federally supported value-pricing and transit development
demonstration program operated pursuant to Section 149.9 of the
Streets and Highways Code."
My vehicle is a one that is described in 5205.5(a)(1) and should
otherwise be exempt from these toll charges as 2+ vehicles are
exempted. Can you please clarify the MTA's position on this matter
and if there is a plan to not exempt electric vehicles from the 110
HOT lanes, please provide the legislative authority?
Thank you,
_____________________________________________________
I had to send this twice and this is the response I just received:
Hi,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the Metro ExpressLanes Program. The focus of this pilot program is to reduce congestion by moving more people - not more vehicles. Driving alone in an alternative fuel vehicle helps reduce pollution but it does not reduce congestion.
Toll exemption for alternative fuel vehicles were considered in the planning for the ExpressLanes. The principle areas of consideration were the project goals, traffic volumes (current and forecast) and enforcement. After six public hearings, the Metro Board adopted the ExpressLanes Toll Policy which provides toll free travel only for vehicles that meet the minimum occupancy requirement (which is 2+ on the I-110). This policy is compliant with both State and Federal Law.
The HOV Network in LA County is extensive as it coverts 485 lane miles, or 34% of the total 1,410 HOV lane miles (approximate) in the state. The Metro ExpressLanes will cover 10.5% of the county network. So, more than 400 lane miles of the HOV network will remain available for white sticker vehicles. After one year of operation, Metro and Caltrans must report back to the state and the general public on the performance of the Metro ExpressLanes.
Best regards,
____________________________________________________________
I think this disregards the reason for the exemption in the first place in that CA has considered this issue and determined that reducing pollution is a higher priority than reducing congestion in respect to car pool lanes. Also it is nice to know that there are plenty of roads that I don't drive on that would still be free. I still don't see where there is legislative authority to charge tolls to white sticker vehicles, but then again I only spent an hour or so looking at the CA code before I wrote my email.
Here is the rate schedule:
ExpressLanes Demonstration Business Rule
I-110 Harbor Transitway Lanes Only
SOV Pay
HOV 2+ Free
I-10 El Monte Busway Lanes Only
SOV Pay
HOV-2 Pay: Peak Hours
(5am–9am; 4pm–7pm)
HOV-2 Free: Off-Peak Hours
HOV 3+ Free All Hours
I sent the following email to the [email protected] to clarify the statutory basis for this policy:
I am a resident of the city of Torrance and a commuter who every
weekday morning enters the 110 near the Artesia Transit Center and
exits at Adam Avenue and then in the evening returns home by the same
route. I live in the South Bay and work downtown. I currently drive
a Nissan Leaf which replaced my Toyota Prius in May of this year. I am
trying to understand why the current toll plan does not provide the
same preferential treatment for ZEV vehicles regardless of occupancy
as required by V.C. Section 21655.9?
"21655.9. (a) (1) Whenever the Department of Transportation or a
local authority authorizes or permits exclusive or preferential use of
highway lanes or highway access ramps for high-occupancy vehicles
pursuant to Section 21655.5, the use of those lanes or ramps shall
also be extended to vehicles that are issued distinctive decals,
labels, or other identifiers pursuant to Section 5205.5 regardless of
vehicle occupancy or ownership."
While I do understand that section 5205.5(k) excludes AT-PZEV vehicles
from this exemption:
"(k) Notwithstanding Section 21655.9, a vehicle described in paragraph
(5) of subdivision (a) shall not be exempt from toll charges imposed
on single occupant vehicles in lanes designated for tolls pursuant to
the federally supported value-pricing and transit development
demonstration program operated pursuant to Section 149.9 of the
Streets and Highways Code."
My vehicle is a one that is described in 5205.5(a)(1) and should
otherwise be exempt from these toll charges as 2+ vehicles are
exempted. Can you please clarify the MTA's position on this matter
and if there is a plan to not exempt electric vehicles from the 110
HOT lanes, please provide the legislative authority?
Thank you,
_____________________________________________________
I had to send this twice and this is the response I just received:
Hi,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the Metro ExpressLanes Program. The focus of this pilot program is to reduce congestion by moving more people - not more vehicles. Driving alone in an alternative fuel vehicle helps reduce pollution but it does not reduce congestion.
Toll exemption for alternative fuel vehicles were considered in the planning for the ExpressLanes. The principle areas of consideration were the project goals, traffic volumes (current and forecast) and enforcement. After six public hearings, the Metro Board adopted the ExpressLanes Toll Policy which provides toll free travel only for vehicles that meet the minimum occupancy requirement (which is 2+ on the I-110). This policy is compliant with both State and Federal Law.
The HOV Network in LA County is extensive as it coverts 485 lane miles, or 34% of the total 1,410 HOV lane miles (approximate) in the state. The Metro ExpressLanes will cover 10.5% of the county network. So, more than 400 lane miles of the HOV network will remain available for white sticker vehicles. After one year of operation, Metro and Caltrans must report back to the state and the general public on the performance of the Metro ExpressLanes.
Best regards,
____________________________________________________________
I think this disregards the reason for the exemption in the first place in that CA has considered this issue and determined that reducing pollution is a higher priority than reducing congestion in respect to car pool lanes. Also it is nice to know that there are plenty of roads that I don't drive on that would still be free. I still don't see where there is legislative authority to charge tolls to white sticker vehicles, but then again I only spent an hour or so looking at the CA code before I wrote my email.