Toll Lanes Could Become Reality On I-80 In Sacramento
YOLO COUNTY (CBS13) — For daily Interstate 80 drivers, toll lanes could be their saving grace.
"You sit on the freeway for a couple hours a day (it) makes for a long day," one driver said.
It's an idea Caltrans is considering to ease the traffic nightmare on I-80. Jess Avila is the Caltrans project manager. He says Caltrans is looking at creating managed lanes.
Toll lanes or express lanes allow drivers to bypass congestion and would work similarly to how they are in the Bay Area, but for a price.
"It could be that you know we have a variable congested price lane where when there is no traffic everybody can use it and get through. As traffic increases, the use of a lane would increase in cost," Avila said.
We asked Avila if tolls became a reality, where the money would go? He says revenue would help with freeway maintenance in the area and any extra cash could go toward funding other projects.
But what about existing HOV or carpool lanes?
"It could very well be a toll lane, but it could be an HOV lane to start and then toll as capacity or as demand increases in the future," Avila said.
Either way, daily I-80 drivers want something done.
"I feel like it would be very beneficial 'cause that way I save time," a driver said.