Houston-area drivers may have to dig deep for new tolls Signs point toward more toll roads

83 miles of HOV lanes could be converted

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Metro officials are moving forward with plans to convert 83 miles of HOV lanes to high-occupancy toll lanes that solo drivers could pay to use.

At its monthly meeting Thursday, the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s board of directors will consider converting 83 miles of high-occupancy vehicle lanes along the North, Northwest, Southwest, Eastex and Gulf freeways into so-called HOT lanes.

Under Metro’s plan, which would use federal stimulus funds, vehicles with more than one passenger still could use the lanes for free, but single-occupant vehicles would pay a toll that varies by the time of day and amount of traffic congestion. Toll rates have not been set.

Metro President and CEO Frank J. Wilson estimated the cost at between $40 million and $50 million.

In its request for federal stimulus funds earlier this year, Metro estimated the project would cost $70 million.

Metro is slated to receive $92 million in stimulus funds.

Wilson said that he learned last week in discussions with Federal Transit Administration officials that the monies cannot be spent on the North and Southeast light rail lines, as Metro had planned, because those projects have not received the FTA’s final funding approval.

The entire HOT lanes project would take about two years, Metro officials said.

Wilson said the conversion to HOT lanes was intended to help ease congestion on the freeways lanes and improve air quality, not as a way for Metro to generate revenue.

“What we’re trying to do here is to make sure it’s self-sustaining,” he said. “The rates to use the lanes are set only high enough to cover operating costs of the system and are not meant to make a profit.”

Metro would have to reach an operating agreement with the Harris County Toll Road Authorityfor the use of EZ Tags on the HOT lanes.

Jump in use expected

Metro Executive Vice President John Sedlak said roughly 36,000 vehicles use the HOV lanes daily.

“We expect that to go up by an additional 18,000 vehicles that will use the lanes,” he said.

Christof Spieler, a board member of the local advocacy group Citizens’ Transportation Coalition, questioned whether the project would offer much relief from congestion along those freeways.

“The busiest freeways also are the ones where the HOVs are the busiest already,” he said.

Mark Burris, a researcher with the Texas Transportation Institute, agreed that some of the HOV lanes may not be able to accommodate many more vehicles.

Houston traffic, however, has become increasingly congested beyond rush-hour periods, he said.

“During off-peaks, like at 10 in the morning and 9:30, the main lanes are still congested, but there’s still some room on the HOV lanes,” Burris said.

Wilson said Metro would monitor the high occupancy lanes and close them to solo drivers, should speeds drop below 50 mph.

There are similar lanes in California, Washington, Minnesota, Florida and Colorado.

Metro’s project would involve more miles than all of those systems combined.

rosanna.ruiz@chron.com