Currently implementing its dynamically priced toll technology along the I-66 corridor inside of Washington DC’s Capital Beltway, industry giant TransCore has now been selected to design, build and maintain the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) latest express toll lanes along the I-64 corridor in Hampton Roads.
The announcement of this latest award follows TransCore’s selection by VDOT last July to implement its toll technology along the I-66 in a milestone project that represents the USA’s first scheme where volume-based dynamic pricing will be used along an entire roadway corridor, in order to manage growing traffic congestion during peak periods. The I-66 Express Lanes project remains on schedule for completion this year.
TransCore’s demonstrated ability to meet fast-track tolling project schedules will enable VDOT to complete the new I-64 project in the autumn of 2017. Segment 1 of the project converts two reversible High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes between I-564 and I-264 to new dynamically priced express lanes that use TransCore’s flagship Infinity Express toll lane management system.
The Infinity Express operating system tightly integrates with TransCore’s TransSuite Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) to further enhance VDOT’s ability to monitor and respond to traffic conditions and congestion in real time. As part of the I-64 contract, the company will maintain the new express lane system for up to 16 years.
TransCore’s Infinity Express system consists of automatic vehicle identification (AVI), vehicle classification, and video capture and recognition systems that can automatically process transactions in high-volume traffic with one of the highest degrees of accuracy in the industry. The modular blade-based design of the Infinity system combines the best components for each of the individual subsystems, all of which are then integrated into one complete operating unit. The blades are easily installed, changed, or removed, significantly reducing maintenance and repair times, as each blade has its own power supply, central processing unit, data storage, and front panel diagnostics and maintenance ports.
Since developing the country’s first high-occupancy toll (HOT) system in San Diego, California, in 1988, TransCore has developed, deployed and operated more than 600 miles (966km) of HOT/Express lanes across California, Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. The company’s coast-to-coast presence constitutes the majority of all express lanes and the largest systems in the USA.
Converting to dynamically priced lanes has become a popular, cost-effective strategy to provide reliable travel times and maximize capacity usage on existing roadways in major urban areas across the country. TransCore has worked in close partnership with VDOT over the last 42 years on a number of electronic tolling projects, such as the George P Coleman Bridge, the Powhite Parkway, the I-66 Express Lanes, and now the I-64 Express Lanes.
“We are truly honored that VDOT continues to place its trust in us to deliver on the Commonwealth’s most complex toll projects and challenging deployment schedules,” said Whitt Hall, senior vice president, TransCore. “We share VDOT’s mission to increase driver mobility on existing roadways through use of the most innovative and reliable tolling solutions available.”
