VTA has opened the new express lanes along the State Route 237 and Interstate 880 corridor. The express lanes help provide reliable travel options to Bay Area commuters and maximize usage and capacity in these lanes during commute hours. Carpoolers and solo drivers that utilize the express lanes will experience several changes, such as new signs, road striping and traffic laws, limited entry and exit points, and hours of operation.
Project Overview
The express lanes along the SR 237 and I-880 corridor in Santa Clara County are between just south of Dixon Landing Road on I-880 and North First Street on SR 237.
Signs and Striping
As you approach an express lane you will see a series of signs in the median indicating the oncoming express lane, hours of operation, signs reminding drivers not to cross the double white lines, and the current toll rate. These rates will vary depending on the level of congestion in the express lane.
New to many drivers is the sign reading HOV 2+. HOV means High Occupancy Vehicle (also known as a carpool). The 2+ designates the need to have a minimum of 2 or more occupants.
In late January 2012 new striping was painted to delineate express lanes from general purpose with a 2 foot wide buffer zone featuring double solid white lines. Whether you are carpooling or a solo driver, do not cross double solid white lines to enter or exit express lanes. It is a violation of the state vehicle code for any driver to cross solid lines and the California Highway Patrol will enforce traffic laws. Related fines can range from $471 or more. The double white lines are in effect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of carpool or express lane hours of operation.
Entry and Exit Points
Express lanes have limited entry and exit points. The limited entry and exit points will allow for a smoother flow in the corridor with minimal merging.
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Driving southbound on I-880 you enter the express lane in Milpitas, south of Dixon Landing Road. As you continue westbound on SR 237 toward Mountain View, the double white lines will end after the North First Street exit. Toll paying drivers will have until Lawrence Expressway to exit the carpool lane.
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Traveling eastbound on SR 237, you enter the express lane between North First Street and Zanker Road. The double white line striping begins just after Zanker Road and will continue through northbound I-880, ending south of Dixon Landing Road in Millpitas. Toll paying drivers will have until Dixon Landing Road to exit the carpool lane.
Planning Your Commute
The limited entry and exits may require some changes to your commute if you are using the express lanes.
Westbound SR 237 express lane traffic cannot exit at Zanker Road or North First Street.
The suggested route is to continue to Great America Parkway and loop back. While it is an additional 2 miles, and 2-3 minutes longer, commuters will be able to bypass congested lanes and benefit from a 6-10 minute travel time savings once the express lanes are operational.
Likewise, access to or from the express lanes will not be available for vehicles entering or exiting SR 237 at Calaveras Boulevard, McCarthy Boulevard, or Zanker Road.
Carpoolers heading westbound SR 237 will be able to access the carpool lane after North First Street, or northbound I-880 just south of Dixon Landing Road.
Hours of Operation
Express lanes will operate the same hours as carpool lanes, with the exception of an extended hour on westbound SR 237, 5am until 10am. Eastbound commute hours will remain 5am-9am. The afternoon hours in both directions remains 3pm-7pm.
During non-operational hours anyone can use the express lane, however all drivers must still adhere to the limited entry and exits, and not cross the double solid white lines. As stated above, the double white lines are in effect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of carpool or express lane hours of operation.
"HOV Only" mode
When you see “HOV Only” on the gantry sign over the carpool/Express Lane, it means solo drivers may not use the HOV/Express Lane, unless they are driving a motorcycle or clean air vehicle with applicable decals. The “HOV Only” sign comes on when traffic congestion in the lane, or at the end of the Express Lane, is so great that it is not possible to maintain the minimum 45 mph speed in the Express Lane. Sometimes it may appear that traffic is moving well but there could be congestion at the end of the Express lane that can quickly back up onto the Express lane, therefore, the sign will indicate “HOV only” to ensure smooth traffic flow and to enhance safety.
Recently traffic congestion has increased in the afternoon hours along northbound 880, resulting in the “HOV only” mode being activated more frequently during the evening commute. This congestion is the result of a number of factors, including nearby construction activities, additional motorists on the road due to improved employment, weekend travel plans, or summer school break. Again, although the traffic may appear to be moving well on the Express Lanes connector ramp, it is still necessary to activate the “HOV only” mode due to the heavy congestion at the end of the Express Lane, near Mission Blvd.
VTA is evaluating options for a long-term solution to this backup, to reduce the frequency that we have to go to “HOV only.” In the meantime, commuters who wish to use the Express lanes can plan their afternoon commute to avoid the peak traffic congestion or leaving work a bit earlier/later if that is possible. VTA will be closely monitoring the situation to see if there are other ways to avoid going to “HOV only” and to maximize access to the Express Lanes.
One potential long-term solution for traffic congestion relief is to expand the network of express lanes within Santa Clara County. For more information, please visit http://www.vta.org/expresslanes.
Tolling and FasTrak
Tolls for solo drivers will be collected electronically using FasTrak. Revenues from these tolls remain in the corridor and will be used for operation, mantainance, enforcement costs, and transit improvements. The anticipated average rate is expected to be about $3.00.
When a car equipped with a FasTrak transponder passes under an express lane antenna, the antenna will read the tansponder, and the correct toll will automatically be deducted from the prepaid FasTrak account.
You can get your FasTrak transponder, set up your pre-paid account, and learn more about FasTrak from www.bayareafastrak.org, or by calling 1-877-229-8655.
Carpoolers with FasTrak Transponders and Mylar Bag Replacement
Carpoolers can use the express lanes for free. If you are carpooling and you have a FasTrak transponder, make sure to place your transponder in the Mylar bag it came with to prevent the antenna from reading and deducting a toll. If you need a Mylar bag replacement, call Bay Area Fastrak at 1-877-229-8655, and speak with a customer service agent. They will send you a free replacement in 5-10 business days.
If your FasTrak transponder was not in its Mylar bag and you were charged the toll while carpooling, you should contact Bay Area FasTrak at 1-877-229-8655 and speak to a customer service representative.
Toll Tag License Plate Frames
If you have a toll tag license plate frame, and you will be carpooling in the express lane, you may consider switching to a transponder that you can mount on your windshield so that you can access it and place it in the Mylar bag to avoid the toll charge.
Toll Tags and Rental Cars
You can use your toll tag with rental vehicles. Please refer to Bay Area FasTrak to learn more about your options.
Project Benefits
• Increase efficiency of existing roadway: Existing carpool lane connectors have the available capacity to accommodate more vehicles. More efficient use of existing roadways is accomplished by encouraging transit and carpools, and allowing solo drivers to pay a fee to access the lanes.
• Fast, reliable travel: Through the use of dynamic pricing, VTA can manage the amount of traffic in the express lanes and maintain free-flowing speeds even when the general purpose lanes are congested. Motorists who choose to use the express lanes will benefit from reliable travel times.
• Revenue reinvested in the corridor: Revenue from tolls would be used for operation and maintenance costs, enforcement costs and transit improvements within the corridor.
Project Funding
$3.5 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
$4 million Federal Value Pricing Pilot Program (VPPP)
$4.3 million local funding
$11.8 million total funding
Schedule
March 20, 2012: Open Express Lanes for service at 5 a.m. 2015: Phase II 237 Express Lanes underway
If you have any questions about the VTA Express Lanes Project, please call VTA’s Community Outreach Department at (408) 321-7575, (TTY) for the hearing-impaired (408) 321-2330.You may also e-mail us at community.outreach@vta.org.
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