managing congestion with tolls on the sr 520 floating bridgemanaging congestion with tolls on the sr...
TRANSCRIPT
Managing Congestion with Tolls on the SR 520 Floating Bridge
Craig J. Stone, P.E. Director
Washington State Toll Division
September 11, 2012
Paula J. Hammond, PE Secretary of Transportation
Steve Reinmuth Chief of Staff
Tolling in Washington State History • Washington State has long history of tolled
bridges • Main objective was to pay for construction of
these facilities 2008 toll policy gave strong foundation and structure • Tolling should be used when it can:
o Contribute a significant portion of the cost of a project that cannot be funded solely with existing sources
o Optimize performance of the transportation system
2008 toll policy set tolling authority o Legislature authorizes tolls o WA State Transportation Commission sets toll
rates o WSDOT proposes and implements the tolling
program
SR 520 and its importance to Washington State
• Critical Lake Washington crossing in Seattle has remained unchanged for 50 years despite rapid growth
• One of two east-west roadways across Lake Washington
• Key regional route for commuters • Prior to tolling about 115,000 vehicles
travelled the corridor daily • The floating bridge is vulnerable to
windstorms and earthquakes and must be replaced
Getting to tolling on the SR 520 bridge
Key Date Event
1997 - 2000 Trans-Lake Washington Study evaluated multiple options to cross Lake Washington.
2000 -2004 Trans-Lake Washington Project narrowed options to cross the Lake and recommends SR 520 as a tolled facility.
2006
Legislature directs WSDOT to form an Expert Review Panel to review the finance and implementation plans for the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV projects.
2007 USDOT Urban Partnership Agreement awarded to apply innovative approaches to reduce congestion in the corridor.
2008 Legislature appoints a SR 520 Tolling Implementation Committee o Chair, Transportation Commission o Secretary of Transportation o Executive Director, Puget Sound Regional Council
2009 Legislature authorizes tolling for the corridor
Spring 2011 Construction begins on the new replacement bridge
December 2011 “Pre-completion” All electronic tolling on SR 520 begins
SR 520 program
$154.5 million Urban Partnership grant to improve congestion in the SR 520 corridor:
• Variable tolling on the SR 520 bridge
• Electronic travel time signs on I-405, SR 520 and
SR 522 direct drivers to the best route across
Lake Washington
• Smarter Highways on SR 520 and I-90 provide
drivers with variable speed limits and real-time
driver information
• King County Metro and Sound Transit added
more than 130 daily bus trips across the SR 520
bridge
• Vanpool and carpool programs encourage
people to commute together
Lake Washington Congestion Management Program
Overnight2% Off-Peak
10%Midday
19%
Peak Shoulders
21%Peak48%
SR 520 Scenario D Revenue by Period
Variable tolls optimize revenue • Weekday traffic patterns are predictable
• The majority of peak period trips are by regular users
• A multi-step variable toll schedule yields more revenue with less diversion
– The midday and peak shoulder periods collectively contribute 40% of the revenue when priced optimally
– People tend to remember the 2-3 toll rates at the times they travel most
Maximizing throughput The most effective price to move the most traffic
If the price is too high, the lanes will be empty
Priced to obtain free flow conditions
If the price is too low, the lanes will be congested and slow moving
Weekday toll rates
1963 Toll Rate Adjusted for Inflation
Average Toll Rate
Weekend Toll Rates
Historical and Forecasted SR 520 Bridge Volumes
Forecast: 48% drop in AADT
Actual: 35% to 40% drop in AADT
Tolling Effects on Demand
FY 2011 Peak Hour/Peak Direction Changes in Speeds by Route
5
5
5405
405
405
90
90
520
520
99
99
509
99
518
169
202
900
522
522
PugetSound
167
LakeSammamish
405
522
5
524
522999
203
203
90
Edmonds
Lynnwood
Burien
Kingsgate
Bothell
Shoreline
Renton
RedmondKirkland
BellevueSeattle
FY 2011 PM
Eastbound
I-405 South End $3.50: minimal change
SR 522 $3.50: ~ 5 mph slower
I-5 North End $3.50: minimal change
I-90 $3.50: 5 to 10 mph slower
5
5
5405
405
405
90
90
520
520
99
99
509
99
518
169
202
900
522
522
PugetSound
167
LakeSammamish
405
522
5
524
522999
203
203
90
FY 2011 AM
Westbound Edmonds
Lynnwood
Burien
Kingsgate
Bothell
Shoreline
Renton
RedmondKirkland
BellevueSeattle
I-405 South End $3.50: minimal change
SR 522 $3.50: ~ 5 mph slower
I-5 North End $3.50: minimal change
I-90 $3.50: 5 to 10 mph slower
SR 520 GP Lanes $3.50: ~ 20mph faster
SR 520 GP Lanes $3.50: ~ 20mph faster
Early indicators of success
Goal As of July 2012
100,000 new accounts by start of tolling.
291,911 new accounts opened since Feb. 2011.
Forecasted As of July 2012
72 percent of transactions during the first year paid via Good To Go! accounts (pass or Pay By Plate)
81 percent of transactions were paid with a Good To Go! account (68.8 percent pass, 12.1 percent Pay By Plate)
Trips paid via Good To Go! accounts
Good To Go! accounts
Other observations: • Number of Good To Go! accounts grows as we open
new facilities • Different markets for each facility • Growth in Seattle and the Eastside for SR 520 tolling
Traffic results July 2012 SR 520
• Total daily volume generally at or above projected levels
• Travel times about 7 minutes shorter on average at peaks
• Meeting performance measure < 45 mph 90% of the time I-90
• Daily volume approximately 12 percent higher • Travel times 3 minutes longer on average at peaks
SR 522 • Daily volume approximately 12 percent higher • Travel times have not increased during peaks
I-5 • Daily volume 3 percent higher in downtown Seattle vicinity • Travel times through downtown Seattle 2-4 minutes
slower in both directions during peaks I-405
• Daily volume 8 percent higher in vicinity between downtown Bellevue & I-90
• Travel times through Bellevue 3-5 minutes slower southbound and 2-5 minutes faster northbound during peaks
• Increased SR 520 bus service more than 20
percent
– 15 percent ridership increase due to service
investment
– 10 percent ridership increase since tolling
started
• Vanpools in the SR 520 corridor have increased 18
percent
• Park and ride usage is similar to pre-tolling with
most lots remaining full
• Improved travel times on SR 520 means improved
on-time performance
Improved travel times benefit other modes of travel
Initial SR 520 toll traffic results FY 2012*
• Average weekday traffic exceeded forecast by +12%
• Average weekend traffic exceeded forecast by +36%
• Overall, average daily traffic was +18% above forecast
• Approximately 81% of average daily trips were prepaid (Good To Go!) transactions – Average weekday Good To Go! share was approximately 82%
– Average weekend daily Good To Go! share was approximately 73%
* Traffic averages do not include toll traffic during the first week of operations due to insufficient data collection during that period.
1 Toll traffic counts are generated by in-lane toll collection equipment. Actual counts include transit buses and other toll-exempt vehicles.
2 CDM Smith forecast dated Aug. 2011 included a monthly seasonal adjustment factor. Forecast excluded transit buses and other toll-exempt vehicles.
3 Ramp-up adjustment of 5% included in forecast to account for changes in travel behavior as customers become accustomed to tolls in FY 2012.
4 Average weekday traffic calculations exclude a small sample of days that showed irregular data related to extreme weather or equipment errors. Excluding irregular days from averages provides a more accurate snapshot of typical weekday traffic.
5 Calculation of average weekend daily traffic excludes planned weekend construction closures days.
6 Average daily traffic calculated as a blend of all weekdays and weekends days, except as noted in (4) and (5) above.
7 WSDOT is in the process of reviewing CSC vendor reconciliation reports, which will become the primary source of this data. Until completion of this review, reported traffic and revenue will be based on preliminary, un-reconciled database queries.
8 Average weekend daily traffic calculations are inclusive of holidays during which weekend toll rates are charged (e.g., Memorial Day).
FISCAL YEAR 2012 TOLL TRAFFIC Actual1,7
Forecast with Ramp-Up2,3 % Variance
Average Weekday4,8 63,453 56,475 +12%
Average Weekend5,8 38,030 27,791 +36%
Average Daily6 56,738 47,822 +18%
Initial SR 520 toll revenue results FY2012* FISCAL YEAR 2012 TOLL REVENUE Actual
Forecast with Ramp-Up1,2,4 % Variance
Gross Revenue before Free Trip Incentives $26,776,640 $26,232,660 +2%
Adjusted Gross Revenue after Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Incentives3 $25,976,366 $24,021,444 +8%
• Gross revenue before free trip incentives was +2% above forecasts
• Adjusted gross revenue after free trip incentives and an allowance for doubtful accounts was +8% above forecasts
• Values based on preliminary, un-reconciled database query5
* Revenue data current as of July 27, 2012. To allow for complete and accurate financial records, further accounting adjustments may be applied through the end of August 2012. Fiscal Year 2012 data will be updated once all final accounting adjustments for the fiscal year are complete.
1 CDM Smith forecast inclusive of a monthly seasonal adjustment and a monthly average value for planned weekend construction closures; net of allowances for unreadable license plates / inability to identify vehicle owner; and inclusive of $0.25 Pay By Plate fee revenues and $0.50 customer initiated payment credits.
2 Forecast assumed $1.5 million of free trips would be used between January and March 2012. 3 The allowance for doubtful accounts uses an accounting estimate of 10% of the amount of Pay By Mail toll bills issued will be uncollectible. This amount results in a direct
reduction to toll revenue for the facility. 4 Ramp-up adjustment of 5% included in forecast to account for changes in travel behavior as customers become accustomed to tolls in FY 2012. 5 WSDOT is in the process of reviewing CSC vendor reconciliation reports, which will become the primary source of this data. Until completion of this review, reported traffic and
revenue will be based on preliminary, un-reconciled database queries.
Traffic volume: westbound SR 520
Pre-tolling average is for weekdays Oct. 29-Nov. 18, 2011 and Nov. 26-Dec.16, 2011 Post-tolling average is for weekdays Jan. 1-July 31, 2012
0
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base avg Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Travel time: westbound SR 520
Pre-tolling average is for weekdays Oct. 29-Nov. 18, 2011 and Nov. 26-Dec.16, 2011
Post-tolling average is for weekdays Jan. 1-July 31, 2012
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Trav
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(m
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
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base avg Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Traffic volume: eastbound SR 520
Pre-tolling average is for weekdays Oct. 29-Nov. 18, 2011 and Nov. 26-Dec.16, 2011 Post-tolling average is for weekdays Jan. 1-July 31, 2012
0
10
20
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40
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60
70 0
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1:0
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Trav
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Jun
Jul
Travel time: eastbound SR 520
Pre-tolling average is for weekdays Oct. 29-Nov. 18, 2011 and Nov. 26-Dec.16, 2011
Post-tolling average is for weekdays Jan. 1-June 30, 2012
Traffic volume: westbound I-90
Pre-tolling average is for weekdays Oct. 29-Nov. 18, 2011 and Nov. 26-Dec.16, 2011 Post-tolling average is for weekdays Jan. 1-July 31, 2012
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Vo
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)
base avg Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Traffic volume: eastbound I-90
Pre-tolling average is for weekdays Oct. 29-Nov. 18, 2011 and Nov. 26-Dec.16, 2011 Post-tolling average is for weekdays Jan. 1-July 31, 2012
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1000
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Vo
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base avg Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Cross-Lake Washington corridor
WSDOT’s Toll Program
Current toll facilities:
• Tacoma Narrows Bridge
• SR 167 HOT Lanes
• SR 520 Floating Bridge
Authorized toll facilities:
• I-405 Express Toll Lanes
• I-5 Columbia River Crossing
• SR 99 Alaskan Way Tunnel
Under study:
• I-90 Floating Bridge
• SR 509 Extension
• SR 167 Extension
For more information please contact
Craig Stone, P.E. Washington State Toll Division Director
206-464-1222