MTA: Congestion Pricing Is Working As Expected
After just three weeks, Manhattan congestion pricing is having impacts planned for and anticipated in regard to congestion zone traffic volume, transit patronage, and transit operations. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) staff delivered that news to board members in a detailed meeting presentation on Wednesday. Highlights of the reported data include:
- Travel times at inbound crossings to the Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) are at least 10 percent and as much as 48 percent faster now than during January 2024.
- “Drivers in the CRZ are experiencing travel time improvements especially during afternoon peak hours with reductions as high as 59%.”
- Since the program’s launch, the number of vehicles entering the CRZ has diminished by over a million.
- “Bus riders and especially express bus riders have benefited from less gridlock and are continuing to experience faster and more reliable commutes.”
- With faster and more reliable service, bus and subway ridership is growing.
An MTA news release provided a concise summary of the data, which the authority obtained through TRANSCOM, the interagency coalition that collects and supplies data on metro New York City travel times.
Gothamist noted that MTA officials are hopeful the improved travel conditions reflected in the data will “ease the ire” over CRZ tolling. Bloomberg CityLab and Daily News reported on the data findings and the satisfied reactions of MTA board members and executives.
MTA has released a source of continuously updated data on the volume of vehicles entering the CRZ. The dataset, “MTA Congestion Relief Zone Vehicle Entries,” can be viewed on MTA’s data transparency website and can be downloaded on the New York State Open Data website. It allows users to see the numbers and types of vehicles entering the CRZ by date, time, and location in 10-minute increments. More information about the dataset is available in an online explanatory guide.
FDOT PD&E Study Examines Potential I-95 Express Lanes Expansion In Palm Beach County
WPTV reported, “FDOT is looking at adding a lane and expanding I-95 from Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach through Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach, and creating express lanes.” According to the article, the two-phase project would create tolled, managed lanes along a 6.6-mile corridor by adding the new lane and converting an existing HOV lane.
FDOT is currently conducting a PD&E study and seeking input from residents and municipalities along the proposed route. The project manager, Vanita Saini, PE, says a public meeting is planned this spring, and it’s expected the study will be completed by summer 2026. She adds that work may not be completed for 10 years.
FDOT project information can be found online here and here.
Georgia DOT Provided Updates On I-285 Express Lanes Development
Georgia DOT has scheduled two “Community Conversation events” and created a virtual meeting room to present updates on its I-285 Westside Express Lanes project in metro Atlanta. The events are scheduled for the evening of February 11 in Atlanta and the evening of February 12 in Smyrna. GDOT is also inviting the public to respond to an online community survey about the project.
According to a recently updated fact sheet, the project scope has expanded to include two new barrier-separated express lanes on the west side of metro Atlanta. That change was made possible by GDOT’s decision to transform the project delivery model into a revenue-risk P3. The project is currently undergoing preliminary engineering and environmental studies, “with the design of the typical section for the new lanes under consideration.” The department’s community outreach coincides with these developments.
GDOT also recently updated its fact sheet on the overall I-285 Express Lanes project, a copy of which is linked to the virtual meeting room. It includes information about expanded express lanes development on the east side of I-285, which is advancing ahead of westside development.
Ohio Turnpike Adopted 2025 Capital Program Budget
The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC) announced that its capital spending this year is budgeted at $319 million. That includes almost $229 million allocated for roadway and bridge projects, including 170 lane miles of pavement resurfacing, pavement reconstruction at a toll plaza interchange, two mainline pavement replacement projects, and a variety of work to improve 28 bridges.
The budget covers new projects and completions of ongoing work. Approximately $16.8 million in still uncommitted funding is set aside for unforeseen expenditures. A county-by-county overview of the budgeted projects is included in OTIC’s news release.
These are a few of the toll industry developments TRN covered last week. If you’re not a subscriber to Daily News Briefs, click here for a free, 14-day trial. Read the news as it happens every weekday.
TransCore: Advanced Technology And Design Make MTA Congestion Pricing System Effective
TransCore says it is “helping to introduce a new era of urban traffic management” in the US as the prime design-build-operate-maintain contractor for the Central Business District Tolling Program (CBDTP) recently launched by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The firm successfully designed and implemented “a cutting-edge, all-overhead, infrastructure-light configuration of its latest Infinity Digital Lane System” across more than 100 Manhattan congestion zone toll points. The system, which TransCore now operates, features “advanced neural network data processing and machine learning” to accurately identify and appropriately toll each of the 700,000-plus vehicles that the enter the zone on a typical weekday. “The installed infrastructure is designed to minimize the hardware footprint, visually integrate with the unique aspects of Manhattan’s diverse neighborhoods, and accommodate the city’s mix of high-volume multimodal traffic without disruption.”
As TransCore noted in a January 27 news release, initial MTA data show that CBDTP is achieving its intended results: lowering the volume of vehicles entering the congestion zone, improving travel times within and to central Manhattan, removing emissions from the atmosphere, and enhancing public transit. “As sustained results are reported,” the MTA program “is expected to provide new insight into how other metropolitan areas might leverage technology to create more livable, sustainable, and efficient urban cores in the future.”
Ontario Lawmakers Proposed Highway 407 Toll Elimination Schemes
Toronto.com looked at a range of proposals to eliminate Highway 407 tolling in the interest of reducing traffic congestion in the Greater Toronto Area. Ontario lawmakers have suggested the province explore a buy back of the 407 ETR concession in addition to lifting tolls on the segment of the highway that is government operated.
Last week, Ontario Legislative Assembly opposition leader Marit Stiles said her party will eliminate all tolling of the highway within 100 days of forming a government, if it prevails in the election scheduled for February 27.
Ohio Turnpike Will End Penalties And Collections Grace Period
The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC) announced it will resume issuing late fees and pursuing collection of unpaid tolls tomorrow, February 3. As a courtesy to its customers, the agency suspended those activities last August. The suspension was partly an accommodation to a customer service response backlog, but it also allowed drivers time to become familiar with upgrades in the OTIC collection system that affected lane configuration at toll plazas.
The suspension appears to have had the desired effect. OTIC notes, “Over a nine-month period from April 2024” — the launch date of the system improvements — “through December 2024, nearly 347,000 transactions remain unpaid compared to more than 44 million transactions that were paid successfully.”
Cleveland.com and The Blade report on the agency’s penalties and collection procedures, and the circumstances that led to OTIC to announce the August suspension.
Most TxTag Accounts, Deemed Inactive Or Overdue, Remain Under TxDOT Control
Just 40 percent of Austin and Houston TxTag accounts — fewer than a million — were transferred last month when TxDOT handed off administrative responsibility for the toll system to the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA), KXAN learned. The other 1.4 million accounts remain under TxDOT management because they are deemed inactive or have outstanding charges that collectively amount to $57 million. According to HCTRA chief executive Roberto Treviño, TxDOT drove the decision to transfer only active accounts considered to be in good standing.
KXAN’s comprehensive article — the latest in a TxTag investigative series — discusses TxDOT’s intent to continue debt collection, the task of refunding the $6.8 million in positive balances that remain on untransferred accounts, and TxDOT’s string of failures to engage a vendor to support department operation of its own ETC system. It’s noted that the handoff to HCTRA “is substantially different from past vendor changes. TxDOT said the TxTag brand ‘is not going away,’ but it doesn’t appear there will be much left of it going forward.” KXAN also talks with Mr. Treviño about HCTRA’s experience with the system transition and with a disabled veteran who needed KXAN’s help to resolve a string of frustrating problems with TxTag.
Multi-Pronged Indiana Legislation Would Make New Tolls Easier To Implement
HB 1461, a new Indiana bill already in committee, “includes expanded authority to toll Indiana interstates, a new local tax option on retail deliveries, and increased pressure on local governments to pass maximum wheel and excise taxes,” Indiana Public Media reported. “The measure would also prohibit the Indiana Economic Development Corporation from providing economic development incentives to private companies unless those companies agree to help pay for any state and local infrastructure impacted by their project.”
The Indianapolis Star describeds HB 1461 in greater detail. As to tolling, the legislation would loosen existing restrictions to make it easier for the state to institute new tolls. “[F]iscal analysts project tolling could result in an extra $850 million a year in state revenue on average, and $32 billion over a 22-year period, though it’s unclear how many miles of tolling that would require.” The newspaper also considers the implications of HB 1461 provisions for retail delivery fees and an Indianapolis referendum for raising transportation funding through higher property taxes.
Trump Tests His Powers And Sows Confusion
Capping off a week of chaos, the White House waited until Friday afternoon to confirm that President Trump has decided to impose steep tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. Details weren’t formally announced until yesterday, Associated Press reports. The imposts will take effect on Tuesday, February 3. They “could mark the beginning of a disruptive and damaging trade war, one that is far messier than the conflict that defined Mr. Trump’s first term, The New York Times reports.
On Monday, the president’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued an ambiguous directive to freeze the disbursement of grant and loan funds through 2,600 federal government programs. The American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) had concerns about the breadth of the freeze, reporting that it “renewed questions about the flow of reimbursements to state and local transportation agencies for federal-aid transportation projects.” By Wednesday, faced with a federal court injunction and widespread confusion over the intent and full effect of the freeze, Trump withdrew the OMB directive.
AASHTO Journal reported that ambiguity in a section of President Donald Trump’s “Unleashing American Energy” executive order “ended up temporarily suspending all highway reimbursement payments to states for roughly four hours on January 21 due to a misinterpretation of the wording of the order.” FHWA’s initial reading of the document suggested it should halt spending on both new and previously approved projects funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). It took several hours of consultation among career staff and political appointees to determine that the relevant part of the order was limited in scope to disbursements for electric vehicle charging infrastructure development.
Citing unnamed sources, The New York Times reported Thursday that the Trump administration is weighing legal strategies for stopping the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) congestion pricing program that is just a month old. The actions contemplated reportedly include reopening the USDOT environmental review process. “Such a move would almost certainly touch off a legal battle between the state and federal government, and could effectively kill congestion pricing in its infancy,” according to the article.
USDOT Inspector General Eric Soskin was one of more than a dozen department and agency inspectors general fired by President Trump last weekend. Trump told reporters, “It’s a very common thing to do,” a statement since contradicted by media reports and experts on the independent government watchdogs. Trump claimed, “I don’t know them,” even though most of the ousted officials, Soskin included, were appointed by him during his first term.
The New York Times reported last Sunday that a complete list of the removed inspectors general hadn’t been released, and there’s confusion over whom the White House actually fired and why Trump targeted the officials he did. In an earlier article, The Times reported that Trump’s action defies a law that requires advance notice to Congress when a president moves to fire an IG. That law was strengthened two years ago in response to controversial firings Trump implemented during his first term.
New Report Emphasized Wide Economic Impacts Of MTA Capital Plan
On January 23, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) released an independent report that concludes the authority’s five-year, $68.4 billion capital program plan will generate $106 billion in economic activity through acquisitions of key operating equipment and construction, engineering, and professional services.
Although most of the direct spending will occur in New York City, MTA’s release announcement emphasized that the plan’s economic benefits will be felt in all ten regions of the state and more than a quarter of the employment created will occur outside the city. “It’s no secret the MTA is the economic engine of the region, and this report confirms once again that investing in transit is a smart play for all New Yorkers,” stated MTA chair and CEO Janno Lieber. His comments were echoed by representatives of several labor and business organizations.
The report, produced by EY (Ernst & Young Global LTD), was commissioned by the Partnership for New York City, an organization that represents New York City business leaders and major employers.
Industry People Made News
As POLITICO reported, lawyer and former congressman and television personality Sean Duffy was confirmed as President Trump’s transportation secretary on Tuesday. The US Senate voted 77-to-22 in favor of his nomination. Democratic senators cast the negative votes. At least two of them said Trump’s move to freeze congressionally approved spending convinced them to oppose Duffy’s nomination. USA Today also covered the confirmation. US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas administered the oath of office to Duffy.
Kapsch TrafficCom announced that Lauri Brady, its Vice President of Sales and Emerging Technologies for North America, was elected to the board of directors of the OmniAir Consortium, considered the leading transportation industry proponent of certification and interoperability for connected vehicles, intelligent transportation systems, and tolling systems. Following her election, Ms. Brady was named chair of OmniAir’s Certification Working Group, which is tasked with developing the policies and procedures that govern OmniAir testing and certification programs. This year, the group will have an additional mission, addressing “issues related to public policy and regulations, as they impact OmniAir’s certification programs.”
Kapsch noted that Jose Dios, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s CIO, was also elected to the OmniAir board in December, while Nick Hegemier, Managing Director of Infrastructure and Technology at DriveOhio, and Jeffrey Dailey, Assistant Executive Director of Operations for the North Texas Tollway Authority, received new board terms.
The Napa County, California, Board of Supervisors appointed Supervisor Amber Manfree to a term as the county’s representative on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). Supervisor Manfree was concurrently named MTC representative to the Napa Valley Transportation Authority board. She was elected to her first term on the county board in 2024. She replaces former county supervisor (and MTC chair) Alfredo Pedroza. Some commission member reshuffling is still taking place. It’s expected the commission roster will be finalized and board officers will be installed at a February 26 meeting.
Nossaman LLC, the California-based law firm whose practice concentrations include infrastructure, environment, and real property, announced that Law360 named the firm’s Infrastructure Group 2024 “Practice Group of the Year” in the construction category. The award honors practices that have “attorney teams behind litigation wins and significant transaction work that resonated throughout the legal industry this past year.” Law360 is the news service subsidiary of legal information and analytics firm LexisNexis.
Last week, Nossaman announced the addition of two new partners to its Eminent Domain and Inverse Condemnation Group. Matt Hansen and Tara O’Hanlon will work out of Nossaman’s Seattle office. According to the announcement, Nossaman’s Eminent Domain and Inverse Condemnation Group is the largest practice of its kind in the US, and its attorneys practice across the country.
UK Chancellor Talked Up P3 Strategy For Building New Thames Tunnel
BBC News reported, in a major speech on economic development last week, Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said the government is behind the £8.3 billion (US$10.3 billion) Lower Thames Crossing project and confirmed it is pursuing the possibility of private financing. The proposed road-tunnel would link Kent and Essex. National Highways, which predicts the new facility would reduce congestion at the Dartford Crossing by 20 percent, wants to start construction next year and open the crossing by 2032. The project has been in the works since 2009, and a final approval decision is expected in May.
National Highways issued a news release on the chancellor’s statement. The Standard also covered this story.
Metro Pacific Looks To Expand Its Toll Road Footprint In Vietnam
Philippines-based Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) is looking to acquire two toll projects in Hanoi, ABS-CBN News reported. Both are valued at $100 million, but one already is under construction while the other is still in the planning stages. The article briefly explained how government restraints on toll rate adjustments are constraining the company’s ability to finance more toll road construction in the Philippines. Last year, MPIC acquired nearly half of a toll operation in Ho Chi Minh City.
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