What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

[moore101]

So is the construction and resizing of the carpool lane on the 10 East bound between the 710 and 605 due to it being converted into possible toll road? Does anyone have any information on the construction (completion date, reason)?

Also anyone know what the status converting this stretch of carpool in to a Lexus lane (toll road)? Has it been figured out what will happen to us AFV drivers that use this road already?

[CaptJeff]

Re: What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

There is a website that discusses the HOT conversion, and I emailed them without a response. My position is that as a true CFV, we are HOV-3, which is exempt from fees.
Aloha,
Jeff

[Timon]

Re: What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

CaptJeff,

So your position is that it should work as it does in the bay area. You'll need a transponder but usage should be free.

[nexusplexus9]

Re: What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

There is more information on the 110 and 10 HOT expresslanes at
the mta website under expresslanes

The Project Goal is to:

* Convert the I-10 El Monte Busway High Occupancy Vehicle Lane-HOV (between the I-605 to Alameda Street)into a High Occupancy Toll Lane-HOT
* Convert the I-110 Harbor Transitway High Occupancy Vehicle Lane-HOV (between Artesia Transit Center to Adams Blvd.)into a High Occupancy Toll Lane-HOT
* HOT/ExpressLanes tolls will be continually adjusted according to traffic conditions, Toll Range will be $0.25 per mile - $1.40 per mile during peak hours.
* Purchase 57 alternative fuel expansion buses and operating subsidy for demo period
* Create 100 New Metro Vanpools
* Make Improvements to Transit and Parking Facilities

The project is anticipated to go into effect on December 31, 2010 for a one-year period and will be evaluated for its effectiveness after the trial period.

I-110 Harbor Transitway Lanes Only
SOV (Single Occupant Vehicles) Pay
HOV 2+ Free

I-10 El Monte Busway Lanes Only
SOV Pay – All Hours
HOV 2 Pay – Peak Hours (5 a.m. – 9 a.m.; 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.)
HOV 2 Free – Off-Peak Hours

No mention of HOV 2+ on the 10 Freeway. Guess they want everyone to pay during Peak Hours.

[moore101]

Re: What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

There is a FAQ at http://www.metro.net/projects_studie...es_FAQ_web.pdf

http://www.metro.net/projects/expresslanes/

Some of the information seems to contradict itself:
3. How will the ExpressLanes operate on the I-10
El Monte Busway?
All vehicles will need a transponder to enter the ExpressLanes.
Vehicles with three or more occupants will be able to use
ExpressLanes toll-free at all hours. Vehicles with two occupants
will pay a toll during peak hours (5am-9am;
4pm-7pm), but will have toll-free use during o=-peak hours.
Single occupant vehicles will now have the option to use
ExpressLanes but will be charged a toll.

We all paid for the HOV lanes with our gas taxes,
and now you want us to pay again for the right to
use them? Shouldn’t freeways remain free?
These are optional tolls, and the choice is yours. While it’s true
that the converted HOV lanes would become toll lanes, you
only pay if you choose to use them – and in most cases, they
will continue to be toll-free for many commuters. Either way,
all general purpose lanes will remain free.
What’s di=erent under the ExpressLanes program is that
commuters will have more options. For example, whereas
HOV lanes are currently restricted to cars with two or more
passengers, ExpressLanes will be open to solo drivers
willing to pay a fee. And those drivers who choose to use the
ExpressLanes provide a benefit to drivers who do not choose
to pay a toll by creating more capacity in the other lanes.
As tolling experiments in other cities have shown, this extra
capacity produces speedier trips for non-toll paying drivers
as well.

14. Will hybrid vehicles with stickers still qualify to
ride in the carpool lane free of charge?
No. The current state law that authorizes single occupant lowemission
vehicles (gas electric hybrids–yellow sticker vehicles)
to use HOV lanes will expire on January 1, 2011. So hybrids will
be treated like all other vehicles.

So they specifically mention hybrids but not white sticker AFV's. I am going to send them a email and see what the deal is with our CNG cars.

[moore101]

Re: What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

Here is the response from the coordinator for the new ExpressLanes, basically White and Yellow AccessOK stickered cars will not be allowed for free in the new HOT lanes. While that is a huge bummer, I commute with 3 to 4 people everyday so it is a non-issue for me. Does anyone have any lobbying power to get AFV's access to this lane?

"Thank you for your inquiry regarding the ExpressLanes Demonstration Project. The current ExpressLanes toll policy would not allow white Access OK stickers to qualify for the $0 toll rate. However, carpools of three or more, including your “self-created vanpool of four”, would be exempt from paying tolls on both the I-10 and I-110 ExpressLanes at all hours. The way it works is that all vehicles that choose to enter the Expresslanes will need to be equipped with a Fastrak transponder that will allow you to self-declare the number of occupants in your vehicle."

Best regards,

Bronwen Trice
Senior Community Relations Officer
Metro Regional Communications
213.922.4465 office

[CaptJeff]

Re: What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

It seems to me that they are trying to say that THEY are not going to specify that white stickered vehicles get a $0 toll, however you have the right to get a transponder that gives you the ability to 'self declare' the number of occupants. This seems to indicate, that **IF** the State law is passed that extends and classifies Clean Fuel Vehicles (White stickered vehicles) as HOV-3, that one would be legally entitled to self declare as a 3 occupant carpool. We need to look at the law that is being written to extend White sticker authorization. Somewhere it may say "...white stickered vehicles are considered as a vehicle with 3 or more occupants.....".
What I see is 2 things- 1)They may not be totally comprehending what a white sticker means, and 2)They don't care to separately specify who is and who is NOT allowed, as if they did, and the White sticker law was NOT extended, they really have dorked things up...
If you are driving a White stickered vehicle and the law says that you are an HOV-3, then I see that you legally could self declare yourself as having 3 occupants.

[gassipper]

Re: What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

"The current ExpressLanes toll policy would not allow white Access OK stickers to qualify for the $0 toll rate."

OK this is BS. I was about to buy a GX despite all of my misgivings re: the lack of fuel stations and more frequet fill-ups etc becasue this is my exact commute from West SB County into downtown LA. If they convert the major stretch of the 10 freeway HOV lane to a HOT lane and do NOT allow white sticker access, what's the point? I may as well drive a nice BMW if I'm going to pay for the HOT lane access anyway. Why does the bay area allow access and LA won't? Does anyoen know anyhting about this or plans to change this? The 10 freeway is a major east-west artery for commuters.

[moore101]

Los Angeles- 10/110 ExpressLanes HOT Groundbreaking

Come and show your support for CNG and your displeasure about white stickered vechicles not being exempt from the ExpressLanes tolls. You must RSVP by 7/1 or just show up who cares at this point...

Dear Metro ExpressLanes Stakeholders,

If you have not already RSVP'd, please do so by calling (213) 922-5449 or emailing [email protected]. Also, please note: starting today you can follow Metro ExpressLanes on Twitter at twitter.com/expresslanes or Nixle at nixle.com/metro-expresslanes-project/.

Thank you.

Best regards,
~Bronwen

Bronwen Trice
Senior Community Relations Officer
Metro Regional Communications
213.922.4465 office
________________________________________
If you cannot view HTML in your email, click here.

Versión en español
We’re moving earth to move LA County!
Metro ExpressLanes Groundbreaking – July 6
You are cordially invited to attend the Metro ExpressLanes Groundbreaking.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
• 9:00am – 9:30am – Pre-Event Public Preview*
• 9:30am – 10:30am – Ceremonial Groundbreaking In partnership with Caltrans, the $120 million Metro ExpressLanes Project will convert existing carpool (HOV) lanes to High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes on 14 miles of I-10 (between Union Station/Alameda St to I-605) and on 11 miles of I-110 (between Artesia Transit Center/190th St to Adams Bl). The project will also add nine new lane miles of capacity to I-10 (between I-605 and I-710) in both directions and make needed improvements at the northern end of the I-110 Harbor Transitway at Adams Bl.
The one-year pilot seeks to reduce congestion by improving travel choices in the corridor. Carpools, transit, vanpools, privately operated buses and motorcycles will travel toll-free. The general purpose lanes are not tolled. Net toll revenues will be reinvested in the corridor where they are generated. The Metro ExpressLanes Project is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation as part of the Congestion Reduction Demonstration Program.
For more information on the Metro ExpressLanes Program, visit http://metro.net/expresslanes. Want to join the FasTrak® transponder interest list to receive the latest news on when the transponders will be available? Click on the “Transponder Interest Form” on the program website.
*The pre-event public preview is an opportunity for the public to view architectural renderings and receive additional information on the project.

Artesia Transit Center
731 W 182nd St, Gardena, CA 90248
Served by Metro Bus Lines
52, 130, 205, 246, 247, 344, 352, 445, 450, 550 and Silver Line. Torrance lines 1 and 6, and the Carson North/South Shuttle.
Free parking is available on site.
Solo Drivers
I-110 Freeway going south or north: Take the CA-91 west exit. Move into the left lane and turn left onto S Vermont Av. Then turn left onto W 182nd St. Artesia Transit Center will be on the left. Turn left into the parking lot. A Metro staff member will direct you to the event.
Two-Or-More Person Carpools
I-110 Freeway HOV lanes going south: Stay in the HOV lanes until they end at Artesia Transit Center/182nd St. Turn left into the parking lot. A Metro staff member will direct you to the event.
RSVP to 213.922.5449 or [email protected] by July 1, 2011.
http://www.metro.net/images/email_bl...invite_ENG.pdf

[Lakewood90712]

Re: What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

This "HOT" lane conversion came to us from none other than our former Gov. and his cronies. Thanks Arnold

[marcdanziger]

Re: What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

So we're late to the party (because I'd assumed that white-stickered alt-fuel cars would be exempt from the HOT lane charges)...but I'm guessing we can still push to modify their rules, or at least make sure they know to modify them after the one year "demonstration" is over.

Who else uses that lane?

[Curtis]

Re: What's up with the 10 East carpool construction (San Gaberial Valley)

If you're serious about supporting FREE access to the HOT lanes, follow this post:
http://cngchat.com/forum/showthread....s-to-HOT-Lanes

And don't forget to write a letter of support!