'HOT' lanes likely coming
"I think they recognize that we need to do all we can to help transportation," he said. "We need to use all the tools in the toolbox."
UDOT has been studying whether to put "high-occupancy toll" or HOT lanes on I-15 for over a year. If implemented, the lanes would allow single drivers to pay for the right to drive in car-pool lanes.
By adding cars to the car-pool lanes, it frees room for other cars in general purpose lanes, Njord said.
During a Wednesday meeting of the legislative transportation committee, Njord presented the specifics of what UDOT would present to the Transportation Commission for approval on Friday. The agency wants to put HOT lanes on about 35 miles of I-15 from 600 North in Salt Lake City to University Parkway in Orem. Costs to use the lanes would be about $50 a month.
"It's probably the longest car-pool lane in the country," Njord said.
Other states that have implemented HOT lanes include Minnesota and California. Initial costs to implement them in Utah would be about $2.7 million, Njord said. Cost to operate would be about $360,000, but that would be subsidized with the sale of stickers for people who want to use the lanes, he said.
Lawmakers on Wednesday voiced their approval of the plan, passing a resolution urging the Transportation Commission to approve UDOT's HOT lane proposal. The commission is a seven-member board that prioritizes and approves state road projects.
"If we have an opportunity to maximize capacity, I think that is something we should take a look at," said Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse.
The Transportation Commission is scheduled to review UDOT's HOT lane proposal on Friday at 1 p.m. It is meeting at the Calvin Rampton Complex in Salt Lake City, 4501 S. South, 2700 West.
E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com
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