Report on the Value Pricing Pilot Program Through April 2018
Chapter 4. Conclusion
Congestion Pricing strategies provide travelers in the corridor with more choices. Program results demonstrate that the application of congestion pricing strategies across the country has had a positive impact on localized congestion problems in major metropolitan areas, and it remains an important FHWA-recommended congestion management strategy for a growing number of States and regions.
The FHWA is now focusing on sharing and widely disseminating lessons learned. This comprehensive approach ensures that outreach efforts account for the wide variety of stakeholders, strategies, and approaches that have been used or are being used across all FHWA congestion pricing programs.
In the past few years, the rapid increase in priced managed lane deployments indicates that acceptance of this strategy continues to spread in major U.S. metropolitan areas. It is anticipated that eventually managed lanes will also be considered a "mainstream" strategy for regions in which they have been deployed, much like 2005-2010-era HOT lane conversions.
There is a significant opportunity for regions that have installed priced managed lanes to expand into other demand-based pricing strategies to further increase transportation alternatives uses, such as transit, carpools, and vanpools on a broader scale. The FHWA is also supporting research and information sharing on the use of other demand-based pricing strategies. Non-toll congestion pricing strategies such as parking pricing, pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) insurance, car sharing, bike sharing, dynamic ridesharing, and other strategies that turn the fixed costs of driving into variable costs, have experienced strong successes as well.
To better encompass this range of strategies, it may be helpful to UPDATE the terminology about priced facilities and begin using the more comprehensive term "demand-based pricing." This change in terminology may also work to broaden the public appeal and acceptance of priced facility strategies, as history has shown that the public's first reaction to "tolled lanes" is typically unfavorable and may even result in rejection.
The FHWA anticipates that, in the future, synergies among demand-based pricing approaches will enhance significantly the effectiveness of comprehensive and coordinated regional programs. Second-generation pricing approaches will likely combine regionwide pricing strategies, such as VMT fees, cordon pricing, and regional pricing, with non-toll strategies.
The VPPP has advanced congestion pricing over the past two decades. In the view of many project partners over that period, priced managed lanes would not be nearly as widespread without the Program's influence. Program results demonstrate that the application of congestion pricing strategies across the country has successfully provided relief to localized congestion problems in major metropolitan areas.
The FHWA will continue its efforts to ensure widespread awareness of pricing as a strategy to manage roadway congestion. Through these efforts, FHWA will continue to equip State and local agencies with resources and guidance to help them understand and implement congestion pricing strategies. These real-world examples enable target audiences to understand that congestion pricing strategies can be successfully implemented in all different types of regions.
