Researchers say tolls higher than $10 could help traffic on I-405

Ten-dollar trips on the I-405 express toll lanes are becoming more common.

The state hired outside experts at the University of Minnesota to evaluate the toll lanes. They found, on average, tolls are hitting the $10 maximum 15 percent of the time.

In recent months, it's been 20 to 25 percent of the time.

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Researcher Matt Schmit told legislators that is "way too much." Schmit also suggested legislators raise the $10 maximum. He didn't specify an amount, but said for toll lanes to effectively manage traffic, the maximum should be high enough that you don't hit it very often.

"You hit that maximum toll rate, you lose the effectiveness of the tool, it's a facility breakdown," Schmit said.

Toll lanes are making news around the country.

On Thursday, tolls hit $44 on I-66 outside Washington, D.C. on a new system with no toll cap.

Researchers suggest other changes on I-405, like breaking up the corridor into individually tolled segments so drivers would decide several times whether to stay in the lanes.

They also say the state's algorithm for setting tolls needs improvement.

"It does not respond to mounting traffic, it does not anticipate mounting traffic," Schmit said.

The toll lanes are supposed to meet a specific standard of moving traffic 45 miles per hour 90 percent of the time.

University of Minnesota researchers found that happens just 78 percent of the time southbound and 85 percent of the time in the northbound direction.

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