The Basics
How to use HOT lanes
Good To Go!
Where the money goes
Privacy issues
HOT lane enforcement
Operations
More improvements to come
HOT lane fairness
The Basics
What are HOT lanes?
High occupancy toll (HOT) lanes are HOV lanes (for carpools of two or more, vanpools and buses) that are also open to solo drivers who pay a toll. Toll rates adjust electronically to ensure that traffic in the HOT lane is free flowing (at least 45 miles per hour 90 percent of the time) even when the regular lanes are congested. The SR 167 HOT lanes provide toll-free express trips for buses, vanpools and carpools of two or more, and also give solo drivers the option to pay for a faster, more reliable trip when they need it the most.
Why are HOT lanes on SR 167?
After an extensive evaluation in 2003 of all the region’s HOV lanes, WSDOT chose SR 167 for the HOT lanes pilot project because the freeway has heavy congestion in the regular lanes and space available for more vehicles in the HOV lanes. WSDOT converted nine miles of HOV lanes to HOT lanes on SR 167 between Renton and Auburn. Using traffic models, our studies estimate that 5-10 percent more vehicles will be able to travel the SR 167 corridor daily with HOT lanes, while preserving express trips for buses, vanpools and carpools. The SR 167 HOT Lanes Pilot Project will last four years. During that period, WSDOT will gather information about how well the HOT lanes function, how the technology works and ways to improve the efficiency of our roadways in Washington state.
Why should I pay a toll to use the HOT lane?
WSDOT will manage speeds in the HOT lane at free-flow speeds (more than 45 mph at least 90 percent of the time) during rush hours. That means solo drivers can choose to pay a toll and drive in the HOT lane to avoid congestion when there is space in the lane for more vehicles. With variable tolling, the toll price adjusts automatically to ensure that drivers in the HOT lanes can travel quickly and reliably whenever they chose to use them. Carpools, vanpools and transit will enjoy free-flowing travel in the HOT lanes virtually all the time.
How to use HOT lanes
How do the tolls work?
Hot lanes are easy to use: the tolls are electronically debited from the user's pre-paid account using a payment system called Good To Go! – there are no toll booths. Good To Go! utilizes a small radio-frequency transponder e-sticker, about the size of a credit card that adheres to the inside of a vehicle's windshield near the rearview mirror and can be read by a sensor mounted over the roadway.
When a vehicle first enters the HOT lane, the sensor reads the transponder, and the system automatically debits the toll from the driver's prepaid Good To Go! account. Even though vehicles may pass through several access points, a single toll is charged for each trip in HOT lanes along SR 167. Each solo driver pays the toll price displayed on an electronic sign over the roadway when they first enter the HOT lane. Even if the toll price increases or decreases before the vehicle exits the HOT lane, the driver pays the toll amount that was displayed upon first entering the HOT lane each trip.
How much do the HOT lanes cost solo drivers to use?
The price to enter the HOT lane depends on the current demand and level of congestion. The price decrease or increase based on the amount of traffic in the HOT lane, so the toll amount will depend on the demand for HOT lane space. An average peak-hour toll might be $2 to $5. The state Transportation Commission established a toll range of 50 cents to $9.
Who has to pay the toll to use HOT lanes?
Only people who are driving alone must pay the variable, electronic toll to use HOT lanes. Vehicles carrying at least two people of any age, buses, vanpools and motorcycles can use HOT lanes toll-free and do not need to carry a transponder.
What do HOT lanes look like?
HOT lanes look much like HOV lanes, except they are separated by a two-foot buffer and double solid white lines, which is illegal to cross. Signs on the roadway alert drivers to approaching access points and the current toll amount. Drivers can enter HOT lanes at the beginning of the HOT lanes and in 1/4 mile-long access zones. There are six northbound and four southbound access zones.
An overhead sensor automatically deducts tolls as it reads the transponders of vehicles passing beneath it. One toll is debited for each trip in the HOT lane. A white light will flash when a vehicle’s transponder is read. The light indicates that a transponder was detected. At entrance/exit points, the buffer that separates the HOT lane from the general-purpose lanes become a single dashed line. Access areas will be about a 1/4 mile long.
WSDOT added road striping and extra merging space between the HOT lane and general-purpose lanes to make the roadway safer for all drivers. The access point design is based on a HOT lane project in operation in Minnesota. That project has been successful with reported average speeds of 50-55 mph in the HOT lanes. Traffic might slow down at the HOT lane access locations, but we anticipate the overall average speed on HOT lanes will be more than 45 mph(at least 90 percent of rush hours).
Using traffic models, our studies estimate that 5-10 percent more vehicles will travel the SR 167 corridor daily with HOT lanes, while preserving express trips for buses, vanpools and carpools.
What are the hours of operation for HOT lanes?
HOT lanes operate on the same schedule as the existing HOV lanes – 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Outside of those hours the HOT lanes are toll free and open to all - no transponder necessary. However, those hours could change as the pilot project progresses. Keep an eye on the road signs and check the Web site for updates.
What happens during an emergency?
In the event of an emergency, emergency vehicles have complete toll-free access to the lane.
What about the merging at the entrances/exits; won’t that cause congestion like it does when HOV traffic crosses lanes to exit the freeway?
We are closely evaluating the project, including the merges at mid-point access locations and the north- and southbound entrances. We are most concerned about access to I-405 at the north end of the project. There is another project that would create HOV/HOT freeway to freeway connections with I-405 from the HOT lanes, but that project does not currently have funding. Meanwhile, we are planning to make some small improvements to the northbound ramps at I-405.
If only one lane is tolled, then why are there two antennas on the transponder reading equipment over the HOT lane?
Each HOT lane transponder reader gantry has two antennas, one over the HOT lane and another over the adjacent general purpose lane. This ensures that a vehicle with a transponder traveling in the general purpose lane isn't accidentally tolled. With two antennas, the system can accurately detect if a transponder is in the HOT lane or in the general purpose lane. We have no plans to expand variable tolling on SR 167 to more than one lane in each direction.
Good To Go!
How do I open a Good To Go! account and get a transponder?
You can open an account and have a transponder mailed to you by logging onto the Good To Go! Web site or by calling customer service at 866-936-8246. You can also open an account and get a transponder by stopping by a Good To Go! customer service center in Tacoma at 2115 S. 56th St., Suite 306, or in Gig Harbor at 3212 50th Street Ct. NW, Suite 200. Shortly before the HOT lanes open this spring a mobile customer service office will appear at various locations along the SR 167 corridor.
How can I deactivate the transponder when I'm carpooling?
Good To Go! windshield-mounted transponders can be deactivated for occasions when you ride in the HOT lanes with a passenger and don’t need to pay the toll. Users may obtain a “shield” from Good To Go! that can be applied with Velcro over the transponder inside the vehicle to deactivate it. The shield must be applied before entering HOT lanes to avoid electronic toll collection. On days when you choose to drive alone, you need to remove the shield from the transponder to reactivate it and enter the HOT lanes legally. Drivers who don’t reactivate the transponder and are driving in the HOT lanes alone may be pulled over and cited by troopers. To order a shield, call Good To Go! customer service at 1-866-936-8246. Read how to apply the shield.
How can I get a shield to disable my transponder when I'm carpooling in HOT lanes?
Shields are sold for $3.50 each by Good To Go!. However, they're not available for order online yet. To get one now, simply call Good To Go! customer service at 866-936-8246 and order a shield over the phone. You can also purchase shields in person at either of the two Good To Go! customer service offices in Tacoma at 2115 S. 56th St., Suite 306, and in Gig Harbor at 3212 50th Street Ct. NW, Suite 200. We also are planning to have a mobile office that will appear at various locations along the SR 167 corridor in the weeks before and after HOT lanes open May 3. A schedule and locations for the mobile office will be posted on the HOT lanes Web site.
Can I use my transponder for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge on HOT lanes?
Yes, any Good To Go! transponder works on both the Narrows Bridge and HOT lanes.
Where the money goes
Where does the toll revenue from SR 167 go?
All toll revenue is deposited into a state treasury account. Money in the account will be spent only if appropriated by the state Legislature. Once the money is appropriated, WSDOT may use it to pay for the cost of maintaining the tolling system. A portion of the revenue may be dedicated to increase transit, vanpool, carpool and other services for the SR 167 corridor.
The Narrows Bridge toll pays for the bridge, but the HOT lanes toll doesn't. How do you separate the revenues?
Tolls collected at the Narrows Bridge go into a separate account. The system automatically tracks where each toll was collected and places the money into either a HOT lanes account or a Narrows Bridge account.
Privacy issues
Will the HOT lanes users’ account information be protected?
Yes. Your personal account data will be protected by law and only will be released to the account holder or when a subpoena or court order has been issued. Travel data will be used to monitor the performance of the pilot project, but this data will not be linked to account data. Don't worry about being tracked all over the state; these transponders only work within a range of about 30 feet.
HOT lane enforcement
How do you enforce the HOT lanes and keep cheaters out of the lanes?
We we are working with the Washington State Patrol to catch HOT-lane cheaters. When a solo driver with a transponder enters the HOT lane, a white light over the roadway flash, signaling to WSP troopers and others that the vehicle has a valid Good to Go! transponder and has entered legally. If the light doesn't flash, troopers ook into the vehicle, as they do in HOV lanes, to see if there are two or more people in the vehicle. The fine for violating the HOT lane rules is at least $124, the same as the current fine for driving alone in an HOV lane. The fine for an HOV violation increased from $101 to $124 on July 1, 2007.
What is the state's revised code of Washington (RCW) that makes crossing the double white lines illegal?
Crossing the double white lines is a violation of RCW 46.61.050, which requires drivers to obey all required traffic control devices. Both the double white lines and the signs directing motorists not to cross them are considered by law to be required traffic control devices.
What if I see someone using HOT lanes illegally?
Just like in the HOV lanes, citizens may report HOT lane violators through the HERO program at 206-764-HERO or online.
Are trucks allowed to use HOT lanes?
Trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds are not allowed to use HOT lanes. Even if they've paid the toll, trucks that are overweight are subject to being cited and fined at least $124 by the Washington State Patrol.
Operations
Who manages the HOT lanes?
WSDOT manage and operates the HOT lanes. During the four-year pilot project, WSDOT will closely monitor this stretch of SR 167 and report results to the Washington State Transportation Commission and the Legislature annually.
What effect will HOT lanes have on buses, vanpools and carpools?
SR 167 HOT lanes continue to provide buses, vanpools and carpools reliable, toll-free express trips. When there is space in the HOT lane for more vehicles, solo drivers may enter by paying a toll using a Good To Go! transponder. Electronic tolls are set to ensure that everyone in the HOT lane, including buses, carpools and vanpools, travel at free-flow speeds (45 mph or more at least 90 percent of the time) during rush hours, even when the general purpose lanes are congested. Variable tolling technology keeps the HOT lanes free of congestion. The price automatically adjust up or down depending on space available in the HOT lane. As the HOT lane gets more crowded, the price goes up, fewer cars enter, and speeds increase. When there’s little traffic in the HOT lane, the price drops.
Our traffic data shows that there is room in SR 167 HOV lanes to accommodate some toll-paying solo drivers, even during rush hours. This is not the case on more congested HOV lanes on I-5, I-405 and elsewhere.
The pilot project allows WSDOT to test new technologies for maintaining express travel lanes and improving freeway efficiency.
More improvements to come
When will the I-405/SR 167 interchange be improved? Won’t the HOT lanes just get people to the bottleneck faster?
Several improvements have been made or are planned for the SR 167/I-405 interchange and the surrounding area to help keep traffic flowing. Improvements will increase capacity, ease congestion and add general purpose lanes to I-405 near the interchange and a new SR 167 southbound lane from I-405 to SE 180th St.
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This is a rendering of an SR 167/I-405 direct HOV to HOV connection was proposed in last year's Proposition 1 ballot measure that was rejected by voters. WSDOT is looking for other sources of funding for this project. |
WSDOT also is assessing the SR 167 nort hbound and southbound ramps and how they merge onto I-405. Planned ramp improvements should help streamline traffic flow, but it is not the ultimate solution. There is a project in the I-405 Program Master Plan that would rebuild the I-405/SR 167 interchange. Funding for some of the interchange improvements – HOV/HOT northbound and southbound ramps -- were proposed in the Regional Transportation Investment District package of projects, also known as Proposition 1, which voters rejected in November 2007. WSDOT currently is looking for other sources of funding for the projects. Learn more about the
I-405 program.
Is WSDOT extending the HOV lanes on SR 167?WSDOT plans to extend the SR 167 HOV lanes to Puyallup. Those projects will be built in stages as funding becomes available. We currently have funding to extend the northbound HOV lanes to 15th Street SW and the southbound HOV lanes to Eighth Street East at Pacific. An additional HOV section was included in the Regional Transportation Investment District (RTID) list of proposed projects, also known as Proposition 1, which was rejected by voters in November 2007. WSDOT currently is looking for other sources of funding for the project.
Is WSDOT widening or adding lanes to SR 167?Currently WSDOT is wrapping up the SR 167 Valley Freeway Corridor Plan, which includes a recommendation to add one lane in each direction of SR 167 in the future. At present, however, there are no funds to design and construct the lanes along the whole corridor. The study and its recommendations will be published this summer with more details and put
online.
HOT lane fairness
What about people who cannot afford HOT lanes?
Currently there are several HOT lanes operating in other states around the country. Surveys from a study of the SR 91 Express Lanes in California had the following findings:
"Although roughly one-quarter of the motorists in the toll lanes at any given time are in the top income bracket, data demonstrate that the majority are low and middle-income motorists. The benefits of the HOT lane are enjoyed widely at all income levels."
Lower income motorists might use the HOT lanes when the reliability of their trip time is important. For example, HOT lanes could help them avoid paying a late pick-up fee at their day care center or get them to a critical appointment on time. This might be particularly important for self-employed contractors and small business people, who can squeeze more appointments into their schedules if their commute time is more reliable.
WSDOT recently held focus groups in south King County to listen to people with low-incomes who use SR 167. Members of these groups expressed interest in paying a toll to use the HOT lane. WSDOT also plans to survey users of the HOT lanes after the lanes are in operation.
The two general purpose lanes on SR 167 will remain toll free and open to all vehicles.