Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently handed down his decision on a handful of bills that address tolling in the state.
The governor signed into law a bill that authorizes the Riverside County Transportation Commission to operate two high-occupancy toll lanes, or HOT lanes, in both directions of Interstate 15. It includes congestion pricing.
The new law, previously AB1954, includes the roadway stretching from the San Bernardino County line to state Route 74.
Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries, R-Lake Elsinore, said the HOT lanes would offer an alternative to drivers willing to pay the fee as well as provide an incentive for carpooling by offering a free or “steeply discounted rate.”
A separate bill signed into law also authorizes the use of HOT lanes on two roadways in Los Angeles County. The new law, previously SB1422, will make carpool lanes accessible to lone motorists by December 2010. Congestion pricing will apply.
The additional access will be for one carpool lane in each direction on a 16.5-mile stretch of state Route 110 and a 14-mile stretch of Interstate 10. Revenue from the lanes will be used for mass transit improvements to help reduce congestion.
In addition to congestion relief, Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas, D-Los Angeles, said the toll lanes will aid air quality improvement and economic development.
Another bill authorizes the Riverside County Transportation Commission to develop and operate HOT lanes on state Route 91. Express lanes already exist on the roadway in Orange County, but they end at the county line.
The transportation commission would like to extend the existing facilities from the Riverside County line to Interstate 15, the Los Angeles Times reported. The new law, previously SB1316, also authorizes the issuance of bonds to pay for work on toll lanes.
One other bill establishes the Otay Mesa East Toll Authority. SB1486 gives the authority authorization to issue bonds and collect tolls to build state Route 11 and a new port of entry in San Diego County.
One bill that Schwarzenegger opted to veto sought to make it easier to open toll roads in the state. The governor gave no specific explanation for his decision other than to say that he was signing only bills of the “highest priority” to beat the Sept. 30 deadline.
The measure – AB3021 – would have allowed local transportation agencies to build toll lanes. Existing free, non-tolled general purpose lanes or highways could not have been converted into tolled lanes or highways.
An exception would have been made for converting high-occupancy vehicle lanes, or HOV lanes, into HOT lanes.
The “public-public partnership” measure called for the creation of the California Transportation Financing Authority. The seven-member board would have assisted transportation agencies in obtaining financing – primarily issuing bonds – to use tolls to pay for road work.
Legislative approval no longer would have been needed on a road-by-road basis. Local agencies would have been given authority to charge tolls. The measure sought to mandate that tolled highways have the option of toll-free lanes for use in the same corridor.
Another provision in the bill would have allowed for congestion pricing. Toll rates could have been changed depending on the time of day and traffic conditions. The bill also called for allowing personal vehicles with one occupant to access carpool lanes for a fee.
Critics said they were weary about congestion that would result on alternate, free roads. Supporters acknowledged that the legislation wasn’t the “silver bullet” that would solve all of the state’s transportation problems, but it would be a useful tool.
To view other legislative activities of interest for California in 2008, click here.
– By Keith Goble, state legislative editor
keith_goble@landlinemag.com
