Florida's Turnpike Enterprise of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is evaluating the potential for implementing congestion pricing along the Turnpike System. The Integrated Congestion Pricing Plan (ICPP) is a multi-year, multi-phase project that will determine where, when, and how congestion pricing can be used on the Turnpike to improve mobility. The study also explores the opportunity to incorporate carpooling and transit services into the overall congestion pricing solution. Much of this effort will focus on large urban areas of the state that experience prolonged periods of congestion, including Southeast Florida, Tampa, and Orlando. The Turnpike’s ICPP is among the first in the nation to consider a large-scale program of value pricing on an existing system of toll roads.

RSG conducted extensive qualitative and quantitative market research to support the evaluation of congestion pricing on Turnpike facilities. RSG arranged and moderated a series of 10 focus groups to obtain qualitative feedback regarding the potential addition of express lanes to Turnpike facilities in Southeast Florida, Tampa, and Orlando. The focus groups were designed to explore participants’ reactions to express lanes on the Turnpike system with respect to effectiveness, equity, pricing, perceived value of service and other considerations, and to better understand how individuals will use the express lanes on Florida’s Turnpike facilities.

In addition to the qualitative research, RSG conducted a comprehensive stated preference survey to understand travelers’ willingness to pay to use express lanes on Florida’s Turnpike facilities. The results of the survey will be incorporated into corridor-specific Time-Of-Day (TOD) models for each facility of interest to support estimate of traffic and revenue.