SWUTC Research Project Description

Title of Project:  Managed Lane Travelers - Do They Pay for Travel as They Claimed They Would?

Project Number:  161002

Principal Investigator:
Mark Burris
(979) 845-9875
P.I. Affiliation:  Texas A&M University

Project Monitor:
Sisinnio Concas
Center for Urban Transportation Research
University of South Florida
4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CUT 100
Tampa, FL 33620
(813) 974-7760

Project Status:  Active

Date Started:  9/1/09

Estimation Completion Date:  8/31/10

Estimated Cost - Current Fiscal:  $46,000

Estimated Cost - Total Planned:  $46,000

Project Summary:
Project Abstract:
Managed lanes, where travelers pay for faster travel in specific lanes, are an increasingly popular option for expanding infrastructure.  Research has shown many managed lane travelers only use those lanes infrequently when travel time is more important than usual.  Thus the value of travel time savings on managed lanes may be exceptionally high – but this is unknown.

The new Katy Freeway (I-10) managed lanes in Houston provide an excellent opportunity to better understand managed lane travelers, including the value travelers place on their managed lane travel.  In the fall of 2008 we performed a survey just as the new HOV lanes opened on the Katy Freeway, prior to them allowing single occupant vehicles (SOVs) on the lanes for a fee.  We have e-mail addresses for over 2000 of the survey respondents who indicated that they would take a follow-up survey from us.  This provides a unique opportunity to develop a before-vs-after dataset on managed lane travel.  With a follow up survey of these respondents we can:

• find out if travelers truly value their managed lane travel higher than non-managed lane travel,
• compare what travelers said they would do versus what they actually did, and
• examine the multiple survey design methods used in the 2008 survey for which one best estimated actual use of the managed lanes.

Project Objectives:
We have e-mail addresses from the 2008 survey for over 2000 of the survey respondents who indicated that they would take a follow-up survey from us.  This provides a unique opportunity to develop a before-vs-after dataset on managed lane travel.  With a follow up survey of these respondents we can:

• find out if travelers truly value their managed lane travel higher than non-managed lane travel,
• compare what travelers said they would do versus what they actually did, and
• examine the multiple survey design methods used in the 2008 survey for which one best estimated actual use of the managed lanes.

Task Descriptions:
Task 1. Review of the Literature
In this task we will update our literature review from previous projects for the latest literature on managed lanes and survey techniques.  Both areas are currently getting a lot of attention from researchers so we suspect that, despite just concluding a study on this topic, there will be new literature to examine.

Task 2. Develop a Survey
To begin researchers will carefully examine the results and responses from the previous (2008) survey to determine the impacts of the different survey design techniques.   We will also examine other surveys of ML travelers and the literature from Task 1.  Using this information we will develop questions for our survey and have our project monitor work with us to fine tune these questions.  We will then code this survey in LimeSurvey ®.  We have used this open source survey software for two previous surveys and are now able to develop complex designs using this software. The next step will be to translate the survey into Spanish.  We will also run a small test of the survey to determine if typical Houston travelers can follow and respond to our survey.

Task 3. Administer the Survey
In this task we will send the survey to the 2000-plus respondents from the 2008 survey who indicated a willingness to retake the survey.  We will also advertise the survey as broadly as possible in the Houston area so that additional respondents will take the survey.   This will include free media (such as TxDOT’s website, HCTRA’s website, etc.) and a limited amount of paid media (possibly the Houston Chronicle).  Additionally, we will work with HCTRA to see if they will provide some e-mail addresses for their EZ-Tag patrons who use the Katy Freeway (ML or GPL).  We will also offer an incentive to take the survey.  Previously we had a random drawing for 2, $250 gas cards and this greatly increased the response rate to the survey.  We plan on doing a similar type random drawing again this time.

Task 4. Analysis of the Survey Data
The survey data will first be examined for data errors and cleaned.  Then we will analyze the data in order to achieve the objectives set out above, such as: 

1. the relationship between a person’s value of travel time savings on his or her usual trip versus an unusual (hurried) trip,
2. the relationship between what people indicate they intend to do in a stated preference survey and what they actually did when the travel option was available,
3. the most effective design method for a stated preference survey to predict manage lane use.  We used random, random with smart-adjusting tolls, and D-efficient designs in 2008.  With a new survey of those same travelers we will know which survey design method worked best, and,
4. methods to better estimate traffic and revenues from potential managed lane projects using our survey design techniques.  With travel time savings often being over 60 percent of benefits from infrastructure projects it is critical to properly estimate value of travel time savings when deciding which projects to build.

Task 5. Prepare Final Report
The final report will contain details on all of the above tasks including the research problem, methodology, survey design, survey instrument, detailed analysis of the survey data and our conclusions.  In addition to the final report the researchers intend to write one or two journal articles on this research and present it at an appropriate conference.

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