Bay Area Regional HOT Lane Plan Approved

The Bay Area's transportation agency, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, approved a comprehensive plan for regional High Occupancy Toll lanes, mostly from conversions of existing and already-planned carpool lanes, totaling almost 800 miles.

1 minute read

July 31, 2008, 5:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


"The region-wide project along segments of 12 highways would cost an estimated $3.7 billion to build. Officials anticipate the system will generate more than $6 billion in 25 years - enough money to cover the project's expenses and produce additional cash for other roadway and transit improvements."

"The toll roads would be incorporated into existing carpool lanes, which now comprise about 350 miles of freeway, and the approximately 140 miles of additional carpool lanes now under construction. The plan calls for building another 300 or so miles of the lanes to fill in the gaps and create a seamless network."

"Officials anticipate that solo drivers initially would pay 20 to 60 cents per mile in the early years of the program, and perhaps up to $1 per mile in 2030. Carpools, vanpools, mass transit and motorcyclists would continue to use the priority lanes for free.

Under the scheme, people driving alone would enter and exit the express lanes at designated locations and be tracked via a network of electronic readers erected along the freeways that link to a FasTrak transponder in the vehicles."

Thanks to ABAG-MTC Library

Thursday, July 24, 2008 in The San Francisco Chronicle

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Western U.S. indicating public lands that would be for sale under a Senate plan in yellow and green.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands

For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

June 19, 2025 - Outdoor Life

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1 - Honolulu Civil Beat

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1 - KQED

Tents inhabited by unhoused people lined up on sidewalk in Los Angeles, California in front of industrial building.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling

An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.

July 1 - Times of San Diego

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.