Abstract
This paper describes a study conducted by Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise to evaluate the potential for implementing congestion management strategies on the turnpike system. The study was partially funded by two grants from the FHWA through the Value Pricing Pilot Program. The Integrated Congestion Pricing Plan (ICPP) study focused on the large urban areas of the state that experience long periods of traffic congestion. These include turnpike facilities in southeast Florida, and in Tampa and Orlando. The turnpike’s ICPP is among the first in the nation to consider a large-scale program of express lanes on an existing system of toll roads. This approach allows the addition of express lanes alongside the existing toll lanes, providing drivers with a new and attractive choice for their travel needs. In this study, three turnpike widening projects, one in each of the major urban areas, were selected for express lanes. In addition, the Florida Department of Transportation established various policies for express lanes, including access points and gantry location, toll pricing, signing and design standards, and vehicle eligibility. The turnpike initiated a public outreach program to solicit customer input through market research and focus groups. An informational brochure, a project video, and a website were prepared as part of this effort. A traffic and revenue study was also completed for the selected projects. The ICPP study includes a master plan showing future regional networks of express lanes on the turnpike along with performance measures to evaluate the effectiveness of such lanes.
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