Reports Shows Express Lanes Benefit Mobility on I-95

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recently published an ‘Express Lane Conversion Analysis’ report for the 95 Express and Interstate 95 (I-95) corridors in Miami-Dade County.

 

The study was conducted to determine traffic conditions if 95 Express was converted back to a non-tolled general use facility. The goal was to analyze the implications such a change would cause to the facility’s operations along Segment 1 (from south of I-195 to the Golden Glades Interchange).

 

The study used a microscopic traffic flow simulation software to formulate a conversion scenario for the project’s seven-mile segment for both the northbound and southbound direction. It analyzed the express lanes’ traffic conditions* such as its congestion levels, travel times, travel speeds and vehicle throughput levels during the weekday peak periods. The report showed that eliminating the express lanes would significantly impact I-95 by reducing the operational reliability of all travel lanes.

 

The analysis revealed that, overall, drivers on the non-tolled general use lanes would take longer to reach their destinations without 95 Express. Travel times would increase by as much as 43 percent in the southbound direction during the morning peak period. Drivers in the evening peak period heading northbound would see a minor decrease in travel times from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM but would see an increase in travel times by as much 68 percent from 5:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. Current 95 Express users would also see an increase in travel times of up to 207 percent during the morning peak period and up to 112 percent during the afternoon peak period if the express lanes were converted to general use lanes. Overall, travel speeds would decrease significantly on all lanes along the study segment and vehicle throughput would also reduce by 7 percent.

 

This report was completed and published in April 2018. To read the report, please click here.