Creating a Financially Feasible High-Performance Metropolitan Transportation System

Abstract

This paper assesses a strategy to alleviate recurring congestion on metropolitan highway systems by adding "dynamic" capacity during peak periods, using shoulders as travel lanes, along with variable peak-period user charges levied on all lanes, to manage demand and pay for the capacity improvements and complementary multimodal investments. It presents an analysis of the traffic, delay, fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and cost and revenue impacts. The paper then discusses various technical and public acceptance issues with regard to the concept, and how these issues might be addressed.