GIVING GEORGIANS A CHOICE TO KEEP MOVING

GIVING GEORGIANS A CHOICE TO KEEP MOVING I-85 Express Lanes Annual Performance Report FISCAL YEAR 2014 (JULY 1, 2013 JUNE 30, 2014)

EEP OVING VISION AND MISSION Enhancing mobility in Georgia by providing innovative transportation choices and financial solutions. VALUES SRTA has five core values that guide and inform every aspect of the organization. Integrity, diversity, customer focused, collaboration and excellence are fundamental to the mission of the organization, and SRTA is committed to upholding those values in every decision it makes. 01

It was a breakthrough year, and the road ahead looks even better. A Letter from Our Executive Director For more than 60 years, the State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) has been committed to providing innovative transportation solutions and offering more reliable travel times and increased choices for Georgia motorists. If the past fiscal year is any indication of the road ahead, the future looks extremely bright for commuters. As the toll operators of the I-85 Express Lanes, the success of this project has paved the way for three additional toll projects that will open within the next four years. The I-75 South Metro Express Lanes located in Henry and Clayton Counties will open to the traveling public in early 2017. Then, just north of Atlanta, the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes at I-575 and I-75 will open at the end of 2017. And last but not least, the current I-85 Express Lanes are proposed for extension 10 miles north to Hamilton Mill Road, with such new capacity proposed to open in 2018 if federal approval is granted. That s just the start of the great news, though. As you will see in this report, use of the I-85 Express Lanes has continued to grow in its third year of operation, with more than 21,000 trips on average taken daily. As we reflect back, trips in the lanes have more than tripled since the first month of operation in October 2011. In addition, more than 225,400 different motorists chose to use the I-85 Express Lanes since opening and more than 63,000 just in FY14. That s a tremendous achievement, and the Express Lanes project continues to exceed expectations and provide a viable option in meeting our transportation challenges. SRTA also launched the Pay n GO! Peach Pass this year, offering even more Georgians access to the I-85 Express Lanes and future toll roads. Currently available at participating CVS/pharmacy and Walgreens stores in Georgia, the Pay n GO! Peach Pass gives motorists access to the I-85 Express Lanes with the ability to open and manage their prepaid toll accounts with cash, as well as with debit and credit cards. Continued performance monitoring of the existing I-85 Express Lanes, innovative new options for providing access to them and development of new express lanes facilities exemplify SRTA s commitment to provide Georgians a better way to keep moving. It s a commitment we live and breathe every day as we strive to provide better traveling experiences for Georgia motorists. Christopher Tomlinson SRTA Executive Director 02

SRTA s history of improving Georgia s future SRTA serves as the transportation financing arm for the State of Georgia. Since 1953, SRTA has enabled user fees to be directed to important mobility links, including the original Sidney Lanier Bridge over the Brunswick River, the F.J. Torras Causeway gateway to the St. Simons community and the GA 400 Extension. With the creation of the GA 400 Extension in 1993 came tremendous growth throughout the GA 400 corridor used by more than 250,000 vehicles each day. Twenty years later, in November 2013, the tolls ended on GA 400, fulfilling the promise made to commuters when the road opened and more recently by Governor Nathan Deal, who also serves as Chairman of the SRTA Board of Directors. I-85 Express Lanes keep Georgians moving SRTA operates the I-85 Express Lanes, including the dynamic pricing system and all Peach Pass customer accounts. A Peach Pass is required for all vehicles to enter the lanes, which are free to registered transit, vanpools and qualified carpools. Motorcycles, on-call emergency vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles with a valid license plate are also toll-exempt, but also must have a Peach Pass. Registered vehicles with fewer than three occupants can use the lanes for a fee that varies based on demand in the lanes. This dynamic pricing strategy helps keep the Express Lanes free-flowing, providing more reliable travel times for motorists. The usage of these lanes continues to grow, giving more and more commuters a more reliable option along the I-85 corridor during peak rush hour. Planning is also underway to extend the I-85 Express Lanes further north to Hamilton Mill Road, providing more transportation capacity, convenience and choice to motorists. The growth of Peach Pass Peach Pass is the electronic toll collection device that allows drivers to access the I-85 Express Lanes. Tolls are deducted automatically from a user s Peach Pass account when a vehicle linked to that account uses the I-85 Express Lanes or any future Georgia toll facility. In June 2014, SRTA launched the Pay n GO! Peach Pass, which expands the ways customers can sign up for an account. Customers who prefer to manage their accounts with cash can purchase and load a prepaid toll amount on to the Pay n GO! Peach Pass wherever gift cards are sold at participating retail locations. Moving forward, regional and national interoperability will further expand the usefulness of the Peach Pass, allowing Peach Pass Personal Toll Account holders to ride in toll lanes anywhere, with only their Peach Pass transponder. The goal is for every toll customer in every state to need only one account to pay tolls across the nation. In October 2014, SRTA became interoperable with our neighboring states of Florida and North Carolina. Peach Pass customers with a standard personal toll account can now use their Peach Pass on Florida s SunPass-only toll lanes and the Triangle Expressway in North Carolina. 03

I-85 Express Lanes: Third Year of Success July 1, 2013 June 30, 2014 AVERAGE PEAK-HOUR AVERAGE PEAK-HOUR TRIPS EVERY DAY TRIPS EVERY DAY 20,548 1,599 1,603 AVERAGE TRIPS SOUTHBOUND EVERY DAY NORTHBOUND AVERAGE SPEEDS 43 MORNING MPH NEARLY 6 MILLION TRIPS 558,076 TRIPS IN MAY 2014 AVERAGE TRAVEL TIMES 23 MORNING MIN 54 EVENING MPH 7:00-8:00 AM SOUTHBOUND 5:00-6:00 PM NORTHBOUND 25,862 TRIPS ON MARCH 27, 2014 (HIGHEST ONE-DAY TOTAL) 18 EVENING MIN 7:00-8:00 AM SOUTHBOUND 5:00-6:00 PM NORTHBOUND 279,229 NEW PEACH PASSES ASSIGNED $1.84 DAILY FARE AVERAGE 442,703 TOTAL TRANSPONDERS (PEACH PASS & CRUISE CARDS) 04

TRAVEL TIME Choosing a faster commute. In its third year of operation, the I-85 Express Lanes continue to provide motorists with options for reliable travel times in this highly congested corridor. Dynamic pricing keeps traffic flowing faster than the general purpose lanes, which means a more reliable trip for those choosing the lanes. Average trips per hour for May 2014 May saw the highest total usage of the I-85 Express Lanes in FY2014, with 21,724 total weekday trips on average. Over the year, the average southbound travel time at the height of morning rush hour ranged from 18 to 29 minutes for the full 15.5 mile trip. Northbound afternoon rush hour travel times were remarkably consistent, ranging from 17 to 19 minutes. The chart below represents weekday trips per hour in May 2014 in the express lanes, excluding weekends and holidays, in both northbound and southbound directions: 05

The morning peak period lasts from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with the peak of the peak happening from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. The afternoon peak runs from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with the peak of the peak between 5:15 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. Average peak-of-peak hour travel time SOUTHBOUND AVERAGE TIME SOUTHBOUND AVERAGE SPEED Average peak-of-peak hour travel speed NORTHBOUND AVERAGE TIME NORTHBOUND AVERAGE SPEED 06

MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY Providing options that save you time. The I-85 Express Lanes increase transportation choice and flexibility. This, in turn, creates better mobility and more connectivity for drivers and transit riders throughout the busy corridor. There are 38 possible trip combinations (or formations) of entry and exit points on the I-85 Express Lanes; the ones most frequently chosen by drivers were the full-length trips between Old Peachtree Road and I-285/Chamblee Tucker Road. Even so, these 15.5-mile trips accounted for only 11% of the total Express Lanes usage. Top five trip combinations 1 I-285 North to Old Peachtree North 372,822 Trips 6.23 Percent 2 Old Peachtree South to I-285 South 314,633 Trips 5.25 Percent 3 Indian Trail South to I-285 South 304,685 Trips 5.09 Percent TOP FIVE TRIP FORMATIONS FOR FY2014 4 5 316 West to I-285 South I-285 North to Jimmy Carter North 300,908 Trips 271,491 Trips 5.03 Percent 4.53 Percent 07

One in every seven trips on the I-85 Express Lanes is non-tolled, including transit, alternative fuel vehicles, on-call emergency vehicles, eligible carpools and motorcycles. I-85 Express Lanes weekly usage Most motorists who use the lanes are occasional users, accessing the Express Lanes only when their schedules demand a reliable alternative. This past fiscal year, 70% of each week s traffic volume came from occasional users drivers who used the lanes three or fewer times each week. JUN 14 MAY 14 15% 15% APR 14 MAR 14 13% AUG 13 13% 14% 15% AVERAGE OF NON-TOLLED TRIPS 14% 81,395 NON-TOLLED TRIPS IN MAY 2014 13% FEB 14 JUL 13 14% JAN 14 14% 14% 14% 14% NOV 13 SEP 13 OCT 13 Regular Users Occasional Users Non-tolled trips in the I-85 Express Lanes Non-tolled trips in the I-85 Express Lanes include those made by transit vehicles, carpools with three or more occupants, motorcyclists, emergency vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles. (This category does not include violation trips.) As with the overall usage of Express Lanes, the number of non-tolled trips increased significantly over the past year, reaching a monthly peak of 81,395 in May 2014. DEC 13 08

PEACH PASS USAGE AND PENETRATION More people choosing the I-85 Express Lanes. More motorists are choosing to use the I-85 Express Lanes and seeing the benefits of a dynamically-priced lane. SRTA has increased the ways Georgians can access these lanes by creating the Pay n GO! Peach Pass for those who prefer to prepay their tolls at participating retail stores and by collaborating with other states to implement regional and national interoperability. Total trips monthly In 2011 the lanes first year of operation the highest number of trips was recorded in November, at 221,552. By comparison, the total number of trips recorded in May 2014 was nearly 2.5 times higher. Off-peak trips 09 The I-85 Express Lanes aren t just a travel option during rush hours. In FY2014, approximately one in three trips were made during off-peak hours (weekday evenings and weekends).

Peach Pass issuance The number of new Peach Passes on the road continues to grow, with nearly 280,000 assigned by the end of FY2014. Pay n GO! Peach Pass enables Georgians to prepay their tolls with cash. Available at participating CVS/pharmacy and Walgreens stores. Unique trips This chart shows the number of motorists making their first trip in the I-85 Express Lanes each month. Each month, the I-85 Express Lanes welcomed between 3,500 and 7,300 new users, totaling more than 63,000 in the past fiscal year. 10

PRICING AND REVENUE Giving people a choice to get there faster. I-85 Express Lanes usage continued to grow even as the tolls increased in response to demand to use the lanes. In FY2014, the highest toll charged for the full 15.5-mile (a.m. peak) trip was $8.50; the highest toll for the afternoon rush hour (when congestion is generally less) was $7.50. Average daily toll The average daily toll price remained relatively stable, hovering just under $2.00. MAY 14 $1.87 JUN 14 $1.79 JUL 13 $1.38 AUG 13 $1.72 APR 14 $1.76 MAR 14 $2.03 AVERAGE DAILY TOLL: $ 1.84 SEP 13 $2.06 OCT 13 $2.00 FEB 14 $2.12 NOV 13 $1.88 JAN 14 $1.84 DEC 13 $1.67 11

Toll revenue chart Total posted toll revenue for the past fiscal year of operation was approximately $7.4 million, which is reflective of the overall increase in lane usage. $469,845 $639,978 $654,322 $735,553 $593,065 $527,060 $514,420 $613,066 $720,613 $637,300 $698,199 $622,055 Part of SRTA s mission is to employ innovative financing to provide resources and opportunities for transportation investments that benefit the state and its travelers. The I-85 Express Lanes represent an efficient, adaptive reuse of existing transportation infrastructure (HOV lanes) to provide a choice for a more reliable trip. 12

SAFETY AND INCIDENT MANAGEMENT Focusing on safety. The Toll Operations Center (TOC) at SRTA uses several tools including cameras, speed detectors and vehicle counts to monitor the system, respond to incidents quickly and keep the I-85 Express Lanes flowing freely. Continuous monitoring of the I-85 corridor is essential for responding to multiple incidents that affect traffic, both in the Express Lanes and the general purpose lanes. When an accident or incident ties up traffic on I-85 or in the Express Lanes, GDOT manages incident response on the roadway, while the Toll Operations Center (TOC) at SRTA takes action to ensure that the Express Lanes toll system is used most effectively to help get traffic moving again. Continuous monitoring of the I-85 corridor is essential for responding to multiple incidents that affect traffic, both in the Express Lanes and the general purpose lanes. I-85 Corridor Incident Statistics 2,716 incidents were reported 43 minutes average per incident 13

In its third year of operation, there were more than 2,700 incidents (an average of 7.44 per day) that affected traffic on I-85, lasting for an average of 43 minutes each. Of these, only 9% occurred in or affected the I-85 Express Lanes themselves. OPEN TO ALL SRTA s TOC took action to change access to the Express Lanes in 82 cases, or about 2% of the incidents. This was a significant decrease compared to the first year of operation. In most instances, the action was to limit access to registered three-person carpools or transit; for the remainder, the Express Lanes were opened to all drivers or closed. To divert motorists around an accident or debris, it may be safer to increase usage of the Express Lanes by posting Open to All on the toll rate signs, opening the lanes to all drivers. 91 % 9 % 9% of incidents affected the I-85 Express Lanes 14

CUSTOMER SERVICE Showing customers they ve made the right choice. A commitment to excellence in customer service is one of SRTA s core values. This customer focus extends throughout the organization, but is especially evident in the operation of the Peach Pass Customer Service Centers and in outreach efforts that build awareness of SRTA products and services. At SRTA, customer feedback is encouraged, and input from users and citizens helps guide continuous improvement efforts of the I-85 Express Lanes and Peach Pass. Calls handled per day On average, the Peach Pass Customer Service Center received 318 calls per day. Nearly 4,000 calls were logged this fiscal year. 5 % Close Account 11 % General Information Reason for calling 14 % Add a Vehicle 20 % Update/Edit Account REASON FOR CALLING 50 % Violation About half of the callers inquired about toll violations on SRTA facilities. The remainder of the calls requested assistance in managing their Peach Pass accounts (including help with online access) or needed general information about SRTA facilities and Peach Pass. 15

New accounts opened Customers can set up new Peach Pass accounts in person at two Peach Pass walk-up centers, over the phone or online. More than 17,900 accounts were opened during the fiscal year, with more than two-thirds of the accounts established online. Violation data Violation notices are issued to motorists who entered the Express Lanes without a Peach Pass, crossed the double solid white lines that mark the Express Lanes, or violated occupancy requirements. Violations account for about 6% of all trips. 16

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION My service was wonderful. Two years after the first customer satisfaction survey, the Public Performance and Management Group at Georgia State University conducted an online survey of nearly 2,500 Peach Pass customers to gather customer feedback about their experiences with the I-85 Express Lanes. I love the service and wish it was extended to other roadways. Top three reasons to use the I-85 Express Lanes Faster travel times, less congestion and more reliable/consistent travel times were listed as the top three reasons to use the I-85 Express Lanes. These are the same attributes identified in the 2012 survey. 17 92 % Satisfied (4% increase) 92% of all respondents were satisfied with their I-85 Express Lanes experience, a 4% increase over the 2012 results. This includes using the Express Lanes themselves, managing a Peach Pass account and contact with Peach Pass customer service. Great commuting idea! I just wished it

Truly appreciate the Peach Pass lane and concept. Highly recommend and hope it will be expanded in the future. Worth every penny facilitates a more efficient and effective commute and travel experience here in metro Atlanta. An overwhelming majority (78%) of all respondents like having the choice to use the I-85 Express Lanes, up 4% from 2012. 78 OTHER USES FOR THE PEACH PASS Respondents also noted they would like to use their Peach Pass on toll roads in other states and for other uses such as parking and transit. 78% % continued all the way into downtown Atlanta. 64% 50% 18

P.O. Box 2105 Atlanta, GA 30301-2105 Phone: 1-855-PCH-PASS (724-7277) Fax: 404-893-6144 Email: CustomerService@PeachPass.com