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Metro's Congestion Pricing Plan 'Watered Down'
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Photo via Metro
A total of 5 members of the public showed up to last night's Metro congestion pricing, or fast lanes, meeting for the 10 and 110 freeways last night in South LA.
What is this? If you've ever been on the northbound 15 freeway in northern San Diego County, you as a solo driver may have noticed or taken part in the express lanes for a fee (carpoolers go for free). The same goes for the 91 in Orange County where, like the 15, pricing is variable depending on the time of day you drive it.
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Streetsblog LA is calling Metro's version "watered down," noting that they even changed the tradtional name of "Hot Lanes" to "Fast Lanes." "The watered down proposal, which needs to go into place by December of 2010 to qualify for federal funds, wouldn't remove any cars from the current HOV Lanes," writes Damien Newton. "Transit vehicles, three passenger vehicles, hybrids, van pools, and in some places two passenger vehicles will all still ride for free in the converted HOV Lanes."
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