San Mateo County Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority: Tolls coming to Highway 101 express lanes by end of year

Board Vice Chair Diane Papan, also a San Mateo councilmember, said the express lanes will be a constructive change to the region and incentivize carpooling, leading to fewer cars, less traffic and meeting environmental goals.

“The point is trying to get cars off the road and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Papan said.

The first phase of the lanes opening from the Santa Clara County line to Whipple Avenue in San Mateo County starts at the end of 2021, with the second phase from Whipple Avenue to Interstate 380 by the end of 2022. Matthew Click, policy program manager for the San Mateo County Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority, or SMCEL, said toll fees would be a minimum of 50 cents per zone on the express lanes, with no maximum fee number set for a trip or zone rate. Click said SMCEL would not know its maximum rate per zone until it opens the lanes and sees initial toll rates.

There are five toll zones in each direction on the express lanes, averaging around 3 to 5 miles in length. Algorithms will determine toll rates through dynamic pricing, changing based on demand and traffic patterns, with the goal of keeping express lane traffic flowing smoothly.

SMCEL manages the express lanes and is a six-member joint powers authority consisting of three San Mateo County Transportation Authority members and three City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County board members.

The express lanes project will create 22 miles of express lanes on Highway 101 from the southern San Mateo County line to Interstate 380 in South San Francisco. Transportation officials have said it would reduce congestion, increase the number of people who can travel, encourage carpooling and transit use and improve travel times.

SMCEL has worked since 2020 on various toll policies and options. It has the authority to determine who will need to pay a fee to use the lanes and how much that fee will be. A portion of the fees will fund the equity program, which would allocate money to historically underserved communities for better express lane access and public transit use.

All drivers using the lane will need the FasTrak Flex, a toll transponder to declare how many people are in their vehicle. Tolls will be charged through the FasTrak system. Carpools with three or more people will be able to drive toll-free in the express lanes, while carpools with two people qualify for a 50% discount. Certain clean air vehicles, or CAV, that run on fuel cells, battery or plug-in hybrids with a valid CAV decal qualify for the 50% discount for the following year. SMCEL picked carpool numbers to be consistent with other express lanes in the Bay Area.

Papan said while the CAV discount will occur this year, the board at the end of 2022 would revisit further discussion and decision making about ending the discount for equity reasons.

“I think the board is reasonable to revisit the discount soon after we open. I think that’s a reasonable thing to do,” Papan said.

Click said a traffic study from 2019 estimated around $45.2 million per year in gross revenue, although a more updated forecast post-COVID-19 has not occurred. Revenue would come back to SMCEL and be used to pay back lane operators and pay the $100 million capital loan used for the project.

An express lane toll is different than a bridge toll, as bridge prices are flat and known beforehand. Express lane tolls make most of their revenue in rush hour periods, and revenue will be affected by employer decisions about when everyone returns to work.

Fines will be in place for violators who do not meet express lane requirements. Click said violations for a first notice expected to be $25 and $75 for a second notice. Enforcement would be handled by California Highway Patrol checkpoints, tag readers and surveillance cameras.

Click said the potential benefit and upside of express lanes are huge. He noted the carpool options would encourage people to increase vehicle occupancy within those lanes, delivering enhanced mobility and provided customers with a choice.

Papan said it was impossible to tell how the express lanes would do. However, she felt the express lanes were in an economic engine area with lots of people willing to use them.

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 102