Considerations in Assessing the Feasibility of High-Occupancy Toll Lanes (7-4915-S)

The research on this project was completed in 2000 and formed the basis for other research on high-occupancy vehicle/toll lanes. In 2001, research started on Project 0-4160, "Operating Freeways with Managed Lanes." This project is ongoing and the products currently developed can be found at the Texas Transportation Institute's website on Managed Lanes at: http://managed-Ianes.tamu.edu. High-occupancy/toll (HOT) lanes are high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) facilities open to lower-occupancy (including single-occupancy) vehicles upon payment of a fee or toll. HOT lanes differ from regular toll roads, which may offer discounts to high-occupancy vehicles, in that they give drivers of lower-occupancy vehicles a choice: stay in the free but congested lanes or pay a fee and enjoy a faster, more reliable, and less stressful trip in the HOT lane. In addition to providing another travel option in highly congested corridors, HOT lanes improve the efficient utilization of existing HOV lanes.