Toll Lanes Inching Our Way on the 10 and 110 Freeways

Officials broke ground yesterday on what will be LA County's first freeway toll lanes, betting that drivers will pay to avoid rush hour traffic. The plan is to convert 25 miles of existing car pool lanes on the 10 and 110 freeways. Carpools and buses will still use the lanes for free while solo drivers will pay tolls varying from 25¢ to $1.40, depending on traffic. At the maximum rate, drivers would pay almost $20 to drive the 14 miles of the I-10's toll lane. A federal grant will fund most of the one-year pilot program and the lanes are expected to open by 2013. Brian Taylor is Professor of Urban Planning at UCLA and Director of its Institute of Transportation Studies.