Feasibility Assessment of Metropolitan High-Occupancy Toll Lane Network in Atlanta, Georgia

Abstract

High-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes have become an important consideration in metropolitan areas where a limited ability to expand the road network leads officials to examine ways to use existing road capacity more efficiently. A feasibility study of a HOT lane network was done in the Atlanta, Georgia, metropolitan area. Although the concept of HOT lanes is not new, how one analyzes a regional HOT network with existing travel demand models has not been reported in the literature. Results are presented of market research and of a systems-level analysis that were used to examine the feasibility of a regional HOT network in Atlanta. How such a feasibility analysis can be undertaken is illustrated, and policy implications are noted.