In last week's column I forecasted, with great hope, that since a majority of the schools were out for the summer, we would begin to see a reduction in the HOT-Express Lane rates on I-85.
We had not yet seen the Express Lanes outside of the school year, so there was some mystery as to what the rates would be. During the school year, after some ups and downs the price typically topped out at five dollars to make the whole trip between Old Peachtree Road and Shallowford Road during morning drive.
Last Monday I wrote that I didn't expect the price to reach four dollars during the summer months.
If only I could predict the stock market with such accuracy.
Considering last Monday was a holiday, the HOT-Express Lane rate remained low all morning. Tuesday marked the return of workers after the long three-day weekend. Even though it was a "normal" rush hour, the HOT Express Lane rate only hit a high of $3.35 from Old Peachtree Road to Shallowford Road.
On Wednesday and Thursday we saw the same pricing. The rate started at $0.16 at 4:30 a.m. but never topped $3.35 all morning long. In fact, after hitting the morning's highest price, the rate at which it declined was quicker than it was during the school year.
Friday morning, which is generally the lightest rush hour of the week, proved tricky. We had an injury crash early on I-85 southbound between Beaver Ruin Road and Indian Trail Road. The crash blocked the two left travel lanes, including the HOT lane for a good amount of time. This crash caused the Exss Lane rate to rise, and eventually the decision was made to change the HOT lane to an HOV-three lane. That meant that you could no longer pay to use the HOT lane, and only commuters with three or more passengers were allowed to get in the lane.
Thankfully the authorities were able to clear the crash off to the side before we saw major delays and the HOT-Express Lane was reinstated. Despite this wreck and the multiple lane blockage, the price in the HOT-Express Lane still only peaked at $3.35 from Old Peachtree Road to Shallowford Road.
So, what have we learned during the first week of summer? I think we've seen that unless we see a major incident on I-85, the HOT-Express Lane rate should generally be 40 percent lower every day than it was during the school year. I also think that the deeper we get into summer, and the lighter the traffic gets, we might see the maximum rate drop from an average of $3.35 to perhaps $2.85.
Next week, I'll examine the impact that the new "Diverging Diamond Interchange" had on your ride on Ashford Dunwoody Rd. at I-285. Good luck with that this morning. I'm very curious to see how commuters handle the new layout.
About the Author
