Managed Lanes breaks ground in San Mateo County

The half-a-billion-dollar project will construct a new lane in each direction of Highway 101 in San Mateo County and then the far left lane each way will be converted to an express lane with real-time surveillance equipment.

Such a facility promises speeds of at least 45 mph at all times on the express lanes, which will be free for buses and carpools of three people or more, but solo drivers who choose to use those lanes will have to pay a toll. Tolls will fluctuate based on traffic conditions, though initial projections suggest prices will average $1 per mile in San Mateo County.

Officials claim the other lanes without tolls will also see relief once the facility is in place. Part of the plan is to roll out an expanded network of express buses that will use the new lanes and officials hope many solo drivers will commute that way instead.

The tolled facility in San Mateo County is expected to generate $10 million to $20 million a year and that money must be reinvested into the corridor.

The ultimate goal is to have an express lane network throughout the Bay Area, including continuous express lanes between San Francisco and San Jose. Officials are already planning that expansion as well as a funding strategy.

“We’ll continue with the development of legislation this year looking at a Bay Areawide transportation measure that will include hopefully completing the entire Bay Area express lane system,” said state Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose. “It works best when you have everything developed and you don’t have to go in and out of express lanes. We want the whole system developed and we hope to have that, with discussions in the future on the Bay Areawide measure.”

Speeches also addressed the issue of equity, which remains a concern for many residents.

“Some have raised issues around the toll lane,” said Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-San Mateo. “The reality is when all of the commuters across all of the lanes in this corridor benefit — that is equity. When there’s shared benefit for all of the commuters not only on 101, but when we electrify Caltrain, this entire corridor is going to see a tremendous amount of investment and everyone is going to benefit.”

Officials have also repeatedly expressed interest in establishing an equity program so that low-income drivers can use express lanes at a discount.

Managed Lanes construction will occur in two main phases. Between March and November of this year, the carpool lanes between the Whipple Avenue exit and the Santa Clara County line will be converted to express lanes with tolling equipment. Between October of this year and November of 2021, the new lanes will be constructed along with tolling infrastructure between the Whipple Avenue exit and Interstate 380.

Caltrans spokesman Jeff Weiss said potholes on that stretch of Highway 101 will be fixed while the express lane construction takes place, and not before.

Managed Lanes construction impacts include nighttime lane closures, temporary ramp closures and temporary city street closures, according to the San Mateo County Transportation Authority website.

The project was funded by Senate Bill 1, Regional Measure 3 and contributions from Google and Facebook.

“We believe this is how you reduce congestion on freeways, by diverting carpools and buses and, if space is available, toll payers to an express lane,” said Maryann Moise Derwin, chair of City/County Association of Governments and also a Portola Valley councilwoman. “This is how you change behavior, by encouraging people to drive in carpools or take express buses that fly through traffic. And because this is how you ultimately reduce greenhouse gases, by keeping cars moving at a steady speed.”

zachary@smdailyjournal.com

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Note to readers: This story has been changed. Measure W did not fund the Managed Lanes project.