Study: Drivers Should Pay For Express Lanes

By Lindsey Miller in News on Jul 13, 2010 5:40PM

A new report claims that charging motorists to use faster-moving lanes will help control tollway and expressway congestion, especially during rush hours. The findings come from a federally funded study on congestion pricing by the Metropolitan Planning Council and the Illinois Tollway.

The model is called "congestion pricing" and is in use or being considered in 22 states. Motorists on expressways or tollways would pay a fee or a premium toll, priced depending on traffic and time-of-day, to use a specific lane or lanes during rush hours. An example would be the Kennedy's reversible lanes for which the study suggests $2.19 might be a good rate. Experts believe that such a program in the Chicago area would encourage drivers to travel during non-peak times, carpool or use transit instead of driving. The faster-moving lanes also tend to improve traffic flow in adjacent lanes. Opponents say the program only benefits wealthy drivers (studies actually show that a mix of people use the lanes). Many also believe that drivers wouldn't shell out for more tolls. According to the Tribune's summary, the number of motorists using the lane would be "managed" to ensure steady traffic flow but there are no details as to how, exactly, this would be achieved.

The model has worked in other cities and something similar has even been proposed in Illinois before. Way back in 2008, then-governor Rod Blagojevich threw out the idea of a tiered toll system but that was scuttled when he went and got himself arrested for that U.S. Senate seat scandal. With Chicago already ranked third in terms of worst traffic congestion, and experts saying that morning rush-hour traffic could increase by more than 12 percent over the next 20 years, it may be worth a try.

Check out a the July 8, 2010 draft of the report here (the final report will be released to the public soon).