Lexus Lanes or Corolla Lanes? Spatial Use and Equity Patterns on the I-394 MnPASS Lanes

Tyler Patterson and David Levinson

No 51, Working Papers from University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group

Abstract: A 2004-2006 longitudinal panel survey of I-394 residents found support levels at over 60 percent for the congestion priced High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane, known to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul as MnPASS. This number varies only slightly when sorted by income levels, gender, and education levels, suggesting that the arrangement is perceived as equitable. However, people with higher incomes use the system more often and thereby capitalize on the direct benefit more often, a finding consistent with other studies. Previous research has not revealed whether higher incomes actually cause people to use the MnPASS option more often or whether HOT lanes have simply been built along high income corridors, such as I-394. This paper aims to separate the effects of income and location on use to provide a more robust understanding of equity concerns. Using data provided by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Heteroskedasticity-Consistent Method 3 (HC3) regressions, this paper suggests that location and income both explain HOT lane use.

Keywords: Minnesota; Minneapolis; HOT Lanes; Congestion Pricing; Road Pricing; MnPASS; Value Pricing; Social Equity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D63 R41 R48 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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http://hdl.handle.net/11299/179829 First version, 2008 (application/pdf)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nex:wpaper:mnpassequity

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