The Minnesota Department of Transportation is implementing the state’s first optional toll lane project called the I-394 MnPASS Express Lanes in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. This project, becoming operational in May 2005, converts the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-394 into high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes allowing solo drivers the opportunity to pay an electronic fee to bypass congestion. The lanes remain open to HOV use at no charge including transit riders, car pools and motorcyclists. I-394 MnPASS is the first attempt anywhere to introduce tolling on a facility directly adjacent to general purpose “free” lanes separated only by a double white stripe buffer. A number of other innovative development, operations, tolling and enforcement features are being tested on the I-394 MnPASS. (Author/publisher) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E213531.
Abstract