Recognizing the severity of the Atlanta regions current traffic congestion and its likelihood to worsen as our population grows, many of Georgias agencies have collaborated to develop an application for an Urban Partnership Agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Atlanta regions UPA proposal centers around priced managed lanes in one of the metro areas most congested corridors the I-85 Northwest Expressway augmented by options that align with the Four Ts: tolling/pricing the HOV lanes to HOT lanes, transit via coach buses for commuters, teleworking via expanded employer outreach, and technology applications to support the integration of these new transportation options. As part the UPA proposal, a Commuter Credits program was conceived to both address such equity concerns for priced managed lanes while also attempting to motivate alternate commute choices. Commuters who chose to participate in the program would be able to accrue credits that could be redeemed for free trips on the HOT lane. For enforcement, deployment of an invisible barrier called Gantry Controlled Access will automate lane enforcement of managed lanes that could potentially save hundreds of million of dollars and time on future projects. Traditional police enforcement will also be aided by technologies, such as Mobile Enforcement Readers (MER) and mobile Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR). Georgias demonstration project will also quantify performance measures through Georgia Techs unique instrumented vehicle fleet and the Commuter Credits program, allowing for direct intermodal trip comparisons. The Georgias proposal will have broad application for other metropolitan regions across the country.
Abstract