Express Lanes And Transit Headed To LA Freeways

"Caltrans and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority will convert existing carpool lanes to high-occupancy toll lanes on 14 miles of the 10 Freeway and on 11 miles of the 110 Freeway. Transportation officials are considering prices of 25 cents to $1.40 per mile for solo motorists who use the Express Lanes.

A second high-occupancy toll lane will be added in both directions to the 10 Freeway. Plans also call for automated toll plazas, road improvements and additional transit services, including 57 clean-fuel buses that will operate along both highway corridors.

The project is scheduled to be completed by December 2010.

Like other tollways in Southern California, officials plan to use congestion-based pricing -- tolls that rise and fall in direct relation to the volume of traffic -- to keep individual motorists, carpools, van pools and buses in the high-occupancy lanes at a minimum speed of 45 mph, even during rush hour.

The (one-year) demonstration project, which will be evaluated to see if congestion is indeed reduced, has received a $210.6-million federal grant -- the largest of its type awarded to any city to date, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Some of the money will also go to improve bus service along the two freeways.

Before the tolls are set by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board on July 23, the public will be allowed to comment during five community hearings."