OCTA Reduces Tolls On 91 Express Lanes (2009)

Fewer vehicles translates into lowering tolls through congestion management pricing policy

ORANGE – This is no April Fools’ Day hoax, beginning Wednesday, commuters will pay less to travel the 91 Express Lanes as the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) reduces tolls by 50 cents during numerous periods throughout the day.

Seven time slots will see adjustments as part of OCTA’s congestion management pricing policy that is in effect on the 10-mile toll road. The policy calls for dropping and raising tolls based on traffic demand. Traffic volumes are monitored daily and adjusted quarterly.

“The mission of the 91 Express Lanes is to provide free flowing traffic at the least possible cost to commuters,” said OCTA Chairman Peter Buffa. “By reducing tolls, we are fulfilling the promise we made to commuters when the lanes were purchased.”

OCTA bought the 91 Express Lanes in 2003 from the private company that built them. The purchase removed a non-compete clause and to date, more than $10 million from 91 Express Lanes revenue has gone toward improvements to the parallel Riverside Freeway (SR-91).

The traffic reduction can be attributed to increased unemployment resulting in fewer jobs in Orange County and a struggling economy. Unemployment in the Inland Empire reached 12.6 percent in February. In Orange County, the February unemployment rate hit 7.8 percent.

Toll rates will now vary depending on hour, day and direction of travel from $1.25 to $9.55. The reduced tolls are not expected to negatively impact operations of the 91 Express Lanes, which last year generated $39.6 million in toll revenue. OCTA purchased the toll lanes without taxpayer dollars and to date revenue and traffic have both increased by approximately 50 percent, surpassing original projections.

To view the new toll schedule, go to www.octa.net/91tolls