Sep 30, 2008 10:17 am US/Pacific
OCTA Reduces 91 Fwy Express Lane Prices
LOS ANGELES
For the first time since the Orange County Transportation Authority took over management of the 91 Express Lanes on the Riverside (91) Freeway five years ago, officials have ordered a series of toll decreases, a spokesman said. The change is scheduled to start October 1, 2008.
Starting on Wednesday, the peak toll of $10 will drop to $9.50 and 13 other time slots will see adjustments as part of the OCTA's congestion
management pricing policy in effect on the 10-mile toll road.
"Tolls need to reflect market and traffic realities," said Supervisor Chris Norby, a member of the authority's Board of Directors. "The goal is free
flowing traffic at the least possible cost to commuters."
The congestion management pricing policy calls for dropping and raising
tolls based on demand, he said.
Traffic volumes are monitored daily and adjusted quarterly.
Officials attributed the lower use to higher unemployment and a struggling economy.
Unemployment in the Inland Empire reached 9.2 percent in August compared to 6.4 percent a year ago. In Orange County, unemployment in
August was 5.8 percent, up from 4.2 percent last year, said Joel Zlotnik of the OCTA.
The tolls will vary depending on hour, day and direction of travel from $1.25 to $9.55, Zlotnik said.
The reduced tolls are not expected to negatively impact operations of the 91 Express Lanes, which last year generated $39.6 million in toll revenue.
OCTA bought the lanes in 2003 without using taxpayer dollars and to date,
revenue and traffic have both increased by about 50 percent, surpassing
original projections, Zlotnik said.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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