The idea of high-occupancy toll lanes, where variable congestion pricing and occupancy requirements are used to manage traffic volume, is speeding up throughout the U.S. In an era of tight budgets and increasing congestion, state transportation departments, federal agencies and private firms could implement more HOT lane projects in the next few years.
"HOT lanes are one flavor of managed-lane options and will be part of the future of transportation solutions," says Benjamin G. Perez, senior professional associate for PB Consult, New York City. Perez and colleague Gian-Claudia Sciara co-authored a new report on HOT lanes, available at http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/Travel/. The Reason Foundation, a Los Angeles-based think tank, publicly advocated HOT lanes in a conference this month.