Express Toll Lanes FAQs
Click on the question to see the answer.
- 1. Why are you considering Express Lanes on State Route 91, when we really
need more capacity?
- In the past ten years, Southern California has experienced major population growth and is among the fastest growing regions nationwide. This growth has worsened the already congested State Route(SR) 91. The existing Express Lanes in Orange County are functioning as designed; tolls limit traffic so that the Express Lanes are free-flowing, compared to the general purpose lanes. This means that during peak periods, Express Lanes actually carry more vehicles per hour than general purpose lanes, helping to add freeway capacity.
Congestion is at its worst where the Express Lanes end at the county line. The Riverside County Transportation Commission is studying the extension of the Express Lanes and the addition of one new general purpose lane in each direction between the Orange County line and Interstate 15. These new lanes not only will add capacity in the most heavily congested area, but also will offer a choice for drivers seeking fast, reliable travel on the new Express Lanes.
- 2. We are already paying gasoline tax to fund transportation improvements: Why tolls?
- The gasoline tax alone is no longer a viable source of funding for freeway projects. The federal gas tax has not changed since 1993, and the California gas tax has not changed since 1994. Gas taxes has eroded due to inflation, and it is unlikely that our legislature will increase the tax in the near future. Adding to the problem, in the last 20 years, vehicles have become more fuel efficient, meaning less revenue for every mile driven for transportation improvements. We have less funding for transportation projects at a time when our roads need more maintenance. We have reached a point where the gas tax barely covers highway maintenance, with no funds left for new roads and other transportation needs.
- 3. Why tolls? Didn’t we vote to extend the local sales tax for transportation?
- Measure A, the half-cent sales tax for transportation in Riverside County, will fund a specific list of improvements approved by the voters. Sales taxes alone do not pay for all the new facilities that are needed. A toll is not a tax, but rather a user fee paid only if and when drivers use the facility. A toll provides another method to fill the funding gap, and is one of the fairest revenue sources, since only users pay it. In a statewide survey, respondents favor tolled lanes over gas and sales tax increases as a way to fund highway improvements.
- 4. Doesn’t extending the 91 Express Lanes benefit just the rich drivers who now use these “Lexus Lanes?”
- The Orange County Transportation Authority, which owns the existing SR-91 Express Lanes, has done numerous surveys of its customers and has found that people of all income levels use these lanes. The average customer may not use them every day, but they will use the Express Lanes on days when they need fast and reliable travel. For example, a late charge for day care is often more than the cost of using the Express Lanes, so parents may opt to use the lanes on days when they are behind schedule. The Express Lanes will offer all customers an option for fast and reliable travel when they need it. In addition, Express Lanes help public buses reach more destinations on time. This benefits everyone who relies on public transit for their commute.
- 5. How would the toll revenue be used?
- If the Express Lanes are approved for construction, toll revenue would pay for operations and maintenance of the lanes and repay the debt incurred for construction. Any excess revenue would help pay for the new general purpose lanes, interchange improvements or public transit in the corridor.
- 6. With all the congestion on SR-91, wouldn’t it be better to add four lanes that
anyone can use?
- On SR-91, the demand is so much greater than the capacity, that it would take eleven lanes in each direction to avoid all traffic congestion during peak periods. Just adding two general purpose lanes each way would not solve the problem and would not provide an alternative to being in stop-and-go traffic during some periods of the day.
However, adding two new Express Lanes gives drivers more choices and allows them to spend less time on the road. Traffic congestion causes air pollution, and the way to improve air quality is through a more efficient road network. Studies have shown that in congested periods, the Express Lanes move more traffic than an equal number of general purpose lanes.
- 7. The Express Lanes on SR-91 are not used fully now, so why add more?
- During peak hours, the SR-91 Express Lanes in Orange County carry twice as many vehicles per lane as the regular lanes, and the speed is three to four times faster. Express Lanes are designed and operated to be free of congestion. If these lanes were congested, then there would be no incentive to pay a toll to use them.
