Lets pretend you own a business. In January of 2012 your business had 254,075 customers. Not too shabby. A year later, in January of 2013, you increased your number of customers to 401,183 people. That’s pretty impressive year-to-year growth, not matter what business you are in.
Now imagine this. Not only did you increase the amount of customers that you had, but each customer spent almost 12 percent more with you in January of 2013 then they did in 2012.
I’m not a business expert, and I don’t have a business degree from Wharton, but I think generally, your business would be considered a success. Agreed? Well, if that sounds right to you then you have to agree that the Interstate 85 HOT Express Lanes are a success.
The numbers I referenced above are the year-to-year figures released by the State Road & Toll Authority last week on the I-85 Express Lanes. Between January 2012 and January 2013, the number of trips taken in the High Occupancy Toll lanes increased by 147,108 trips and the average daily fare increase from $1.26 per trip to $1.42 per trip.
I think the statistics show that the express lanes are working, and that more and more commuters are using them in their daily commutes.
I know the express lanes have their critics. Often very vocal, the complaints generally center around the perception that traffic has gotten worse since the installation of the express lanes.
As someone who covers the I-85 commute on a daily basis, I can assure you traffic is no worse on I-85 than it was when the HOT lanes were HOV lanes. Is it better? That’s debatable. I think all things being equal, if there is no bad weather, and no bad crashes, drive times have slightly decreased since the express lanes went into effect.
As more people acquired the necessary Peach Pass to use the express lane and saw the benefit of that option ridership naturally increased. The Toll Authority is required to keep the average speed in the express lane at 45 miles per hour or more. As more people use the lane, it makes it more difficult to keep those speeds. That is why we’ve seen an increase in the toll price year-to-year. That is why the daily average fair has jumped from $1.26 to $1.42.
Usually, as the morning rush hour begins, the toll rate from Old Peachtree Road to Shallowford Road (the entire length of the express lane) is $0.16. At 6 a.m. that rate jumps to $1.55. From 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., depending on conditions, the rate rises gradually to $2.35, then $3.55 then $4.95. Most mornings now, the rate hits a high of $6.50. Depending on traffic conditions that morning, the rate starts to drop after 8 a.m. and by 10 a.m. it is back to $0.16.
I know there are some commuters that will never like the express lanes or even use them. I understand. But the numbers speak for themselves. More people are using them, and they are here to stay.
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