Hmmm . . . I had never heard of this. Apparently some states have what's called "Price-Managed Lanes" on their highways. People can pay a premium toll, and drive in a lane reserved just for them. All the rest of the world has to stay in the regular, heavily congested lanes. Supporters say it's a great way to raise revenue and ease congestion. Critics say it's unfair pampering of the wealthy.
How are those different than toll roads? Both use surcharges for using dedicated roadway, and if you can’t or don’t want to pay you use the alternative lanes or highways.
^ Yep, we have I680 Express Lane in our neck of the Bay Area that we use sometimes getting from our home to my son's school. A huge plus if running late and or an accident/stalled car has traffic backed up. But I would say most time we don't use it and literally no cost during off peak. Probably one difference from other states is that the California Express lane(s) or at least in Bay Area works on an honor system where you required to have a special transponder that also gives you the option to set it to the number of people that you have in the car. In other words, the express lanes are also HOV lanes so you don't get charged in Express lane(s) when 3 or more people in the car as long as you set the transponder to the right number of people. I think most people are honest about it so I think it is a good idea, the HOV incentive is still in place but some utilization if people willing to pay for it...
^^ Yep, don't consider I680 Express Lane(s) in my neck of the woods any different than my trip to Beaumont/Port Arthur Tx the other week when I had the choice between taking Sam Houston Parkway/Tollway from IAH around Houston to get to I10 to head East or if I would have taken the free option of I59 south to get to I10 Easts
