Consideration for High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) to High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes Study

The intent of this study is to explore the planning, design, and ongoing operation and maintenance of High Occupancy Toll (HOT) facilities and to provide lessons learned and applicable technical guidance that will assist the state and local transportation planners and designers in determining the conditions where High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes conversion to HOT lanes is feasible. The study reviewed a broad range of operational HOT facilities from having been operational many years to recently being opened. The study reviewed the activities of each in the planning, design, implementation and operations with special attention given to institutional, design, and operational challenges. The guidebook provides a summary of the best practices and lessons learned from those HOT facilities currently in operation. The result is a “Best Practices Top 20” list that evolved as each of the facilities learned or re-learned what other HOT facilities had previously learned. The result was a re-occurring list of “to do”s and what “not to do” to minimize issues during the HOV to HOT transition process.