Fiscal year 2019 annual report

A YEAR OF BIG NUMBERS
Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Report (July 1, 2018 June 30, 2019)

Two new Express Lanes opened

Approaching 1.9 million Xpress passenger trips

2019

Over 20 million Express Lane System trips

Over 9 million total trips on the I-85 Express Lanes

srta.ga.gov | peachpass.com | xpressga.com

02 Mission, Vision, Values 03 Message from SRTA Board of Directors Chair 04 Message from GRTA Board of Directors Chair 05 Message from the Executive Director 06 Board of Directors 07 Partnerships 08 Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank (GTIB) 09 Developments of Regional Impact (DRI) 11 Georgia Express Lanes 12 Toll Revenue 13 I-85 Express Lanes 15 I-75 South Metro Express Lanes 16 I-85 Express Lanes Extension 17 Northwest Corridor Express Lanes 19 Peach Pass 21 Xpress 23 Vanpool 24 Customer Service 25 Incident Management
01

MISSION
Connecting people, jobs and communities through preferred mobility options and innovative solutions.
VISION
To be an integral component of Georgia's mobility network and a national leader for innovative transportation.
VALUES
SRTA's five core values guide and inform every aspect of the organization. Integrity, Diversity, Customer Focus, Collaboration and Innovation are fundamental to its mission, and SRTA is committed to
upholding those values in every decision it makes.
02

MESSAGE FROM SRTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR
When I took office in January 2019, SRTA was well underway with major projects to improve the transportation infrastructure of our state. During my time serving as Chairman of the Board, SRTA has seen many successes and continues to work diligently to improve mobility throughout our state. It has been an important year for SRTA in terms of giving Georgia commuters more choices and continuing to build on a logistics network that made Georgia the No. 1 State for Business eight years in a row.
This year, through the coordinated efforts of the General Assembly, SRTA, and many other stakeholders in Georgia's transportation infrastructure, we've seen the successful opening of two new Express Lanes the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes along I-75 and I-575, and the I-85 Express Lanes Extension in Gwinnett County. These new lanes give both car and bus commuters new options, which provide much needed traffic relief north of our capital city.
By the numbers, it has been another impressive year for SRTA. With over 225,000 new Peach Pass users this year, our state now has a total of nearly one million active transponders, meaning more and more hardworking Georgians are taking advantage of this fast and accessible option to reach their destination. As administrator of the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank (GTIB), SRTA invests in projects that enhance mobility, drive economic development, and encourage innovation throughout Georgia. The most recent call for projects resulted in a record 12 loan requests for $17 million.
All in all, despite the challenges 2020 has presented, it's been a year of impressive growth and achievement for SRTA. Working with our partners throughout the state, SRTA will remain an integral part of leading the effort to ensure Georgia's best, safest, and most prosperous days lie ahead.
Governor Brian Kemp, SRTA Chair
03

MESSAGE FROM GRTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR
At the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA), we are proud of our role in the growth and development of metro Atlanta.
After successful integration into SRTA, we are now moving forward with multiple projects with a shared purpose of promoting better mobility and transportation opportunities around the state. As GRTA approves the allocation of state and federal resources in metro Atlanta through the Atlanta Transportation Improvement Program, known as TIP, we enforce the federally required planning process to allocate funds to highest priority, near-term transportation projects. Together, we are investing in the transportation infrastructure throughout Georgia and ensuring improved options for Georgia commuters.
This year, we are proud to be responsible for approving 28 Developments of Regional Impact (DRI) across the metro Atlanta region in Cherokee, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett and Henry counties.
We are in the midst of replacing 77 Xpress buses representing almost half of the Xpress fleet with new clean diesel coaches. The new coaches will reduce the nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by nearly 90%, while providing added reliability and comfort for passengers.
To improve the payment process for our customers, we have migrated from the Xpress magnetic card system to Breeze cards, making payment faster, and more secure than ever before. The Breeze Card also allows Xpress and MARTA riders to transfer between systems for free for up to four transfers in three hours. Moving to Breeze is part of our efforts to build a better regional transit experience for our riders. Passengers can travel on MARTA, CobbLinc and Gwinnett County Transit using just the one Breeze Card. They can also track their use through an online account.
We're seeing big changes in terms of improved transit and improved air quality and look forward to yet another year of making a real difference in our state. On behalf of the GRTA Board, we are excited about the future of growth and improved transportation alternatives for our fellow Georgians.
Sonny Deriso, GRTA Chair
04

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
This year, the State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) stepped into a new era as many large projects came to fruition, new technology improved our operations and we achieved new levels of cooperation and integration between the state's transportation agencies.
The opening of the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes and the completion of the I-85 Express Lanes Extension provides greater access to Express Lanes and added options for citizens' commutes. We're proud to say we now have four Express Lane facilities, including three opened in the last two years!
We continued to explore new avenues for relieving traffic congestion with our Commuter Credits 2.0 program by incentivizing Peach Pass holders to shift their morning or evening commutes and trying transit.
In addition, SRTA now has a model of shared services with both the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) and the ATL the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority. This new partnership improves mobility throughout the region, streamlines regional transit planning, improves rider experience, and drives economic development. The creation of the ATL, working with SRTA and GRTA, gives our region a united effort focused on connecting people, jobs and communities.
With GRTA, we're working to improve air quality with new, more eco-friendly and efficient coaches. In fact, we've made advancements in the entire fleet with new state-of-the-art fare boxes and a Computer Aided Dispatch and Automatic Vehicle Location System (CAD/AVL) that will improve real-time arrival information for customers. Our strategic expansion of Xpress services will also include opening more routes with new Park and Ride lots and expanded Park and Ride capacity.
We're moving forward on many fronts, all to ensure better mobility and an enhanced transportation experience for our residents and businesses. We will continue to look ahead to create smart and innovative ways to Keep Georgia Moving.
Chris Tomlinson, SRTA / GRTA Executive Director
05

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SRTA Board of Directors
n Gov. Brian P. Kemp Chairman n Russell McMurry Georgia Department
of Transportation Commissioner n Mitchell Land Speaker of the House Appointee n Kelly Farr Office of Planning and Budget Director n Allen Yee Lieutenant Governor Appointee
GRTA Board Officers and Members
n Walter M."Sonny" Deriso, Jr. Board Chairman n Richard A. "Dick" Anderson Board Vice Chairman n Ann Hanlon n Martha S. Martin n Alvin "Al" Nash n Narender Reddy n William Tate n Robert "Bob" Voyles n Bernie Tokarz n Shaun Willie n Kathryn Zickert n Sharon Mason n Jace Brooks n Frank Auman
06

PARTNERSHIPS
We enjoy the support of a number of partnerships and sponsorships throughout the region that help to make our projects successful.
SRTA Strategic State Partnerships
Peach Pass Sponsorships

GEORGIA TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE BANK (GTIB)
Our mission and our passion are to invest in Georgia's economic vitality by accelerating transportation projects that improve mobility, encourage innovation and address critical local and state transportation needs. Since we started in 2009, our grant and low-interest loan program has provided over $125 million in grants and loans to highly competitive transportation projects that have enhanced mobility in local communities throughout our state.
$125 Million IN GRANTS AND LOANS SINCE 2009
$750 Million IN PROJECT VALUE
$1.3M IN GRANTS

07

08

DEVELOPMENTS OF REGIONAL IMPACT (DRI)
State law requires that GRTA review all Developments of Regional Impact (DRI) within its 13-county metro Atlanta jurisdiction. A DRI is defined as a large-scale development that exceeds thresholds set by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. We coordinate with the regional commissions, partner agencies, local governments and the applicant's consultant team to review each proposal. Each review includes evaluating the proposed development's effect on the surrounding transportation infrastructure and identifying options to reduce negative impacts to mobility, using best-practice standards for transportation and land use.

INDUSTRIAL sq ft OFFICE sq ft COMMERCIAL sq ft RESIDENTIAL UNITS HOTEL ROOMS

14,950,110 6,648,706 2,644,741 10,392 2,478

In FY 2019, we reviewed 28 DRIs in Cherokee, Cobb, Coweta, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinett and Henry counties.

Cherokee

Forsyth

Paulding

Cobb

Gwinnett

Rockdale

Douglas

Fulton

DeKalb

Clayton

Coweta

Fayette

Henry

# of DRIs
0 1-2 3-6 7-21

09

10

GEORGIA EXPRESS LANES
An innovative solution for traffic congestion, these toll lanes run alongside existing interstates in some of the busiest traffic corridors around metro Atlanta. They provide a much-needed option for drivers to pay a toll and bypass congestion, ensuring more reliable travel times in peak periods. The Georgia Express Lanes rely on dynamic pricing, in which toll rates increase and decrease depending on demand throughout the day.
I-85 Express Lanes I-75 South Metro Express Lanes Northwest Corridor Express Lanes I-85 Express Lanes Extension
11

TOLL REVENUE
Georgia uses its Express Lanes as strategic tools to help manage congestion, enhance mobility and generate revenue required for ongoing operation and maintenance costs. With the opening of two new Express Lanes during the year, toll revenues grew to $34,109,309 in fiscal year 2019.
$34,085,360 NET TOTAL REVENUE
$21,097,275 I-85 EXPRESS LANE REVENUE
$2,706,483
I-75 SOUTH METRO EXPRESS LANE REVENUE
$551,469
I-85 EXTENSION EXPRESS LANE REVENUE
$9,730,133
NORTHWEST CORRIDOR EXPRESS LANE REVENUE
Complete audited financial statements for FY 2019 can be found online at srta.ga.gov/about-srta/investor-relations.
12

I-85 EXPRESS LANES
Opening in 2011, the I-85 Express Lanes are a 15-mile corridor that runs from Chamblee Tucker Road (just south of I-285) to Old Peachtree Road in Gwinnett County, with several entrance and exit points.
9,880,582 TOTAL TRIPS
$3.39
AVERAGE TOLL FARE
823,381 AVERAGE MONTHLY TRIPS 37,551 HIGHEST ONE-DAY TRIP TOTAL

Southbound
(6 10 A.M. PEAK PERIOD DIRECTION)
7,327
AVERAGE WEEKDAY PEAK PERIOD TRIPS
11.2 MPH
FASTER ON AVERAGE THAN THE ADJACENT GENERAL PURPOSE LANES

Northbound
(3 7 P.M. PEAK PERIOD DIRECTION)
7,001
AVERAGE WEEKDAY PEAK PERIOD TRIPS
8.2 MPH
FASTER ON AVERAGE THAN THE ADJACENT GENERAL PURPOSE LANES

Most Popular Trips (out of 38 possible trip combinations)

600,130
ANNUAL TRIPS I-285 TO OLD PEACHTREE ROAD NORTHBOUND

548,383
ANNUAL TRIPS - PLEASANT HILL ROAD TO I-285 SOUTHBOUND

Non-Tolled Trips*
16.7% PERCENTAGE OF TRIPS ARE NON-TOLLED

* Non-tolled trips are those trips made by transit buses and transit vehicles, vanpools, carpools with three or more occupants, motorcycles, emergency vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles.

13

14

I-75 SOUTH METRO EXPRESS LANES

Opened in January of 2017, the reversible I-75 South Metro Express Lanes run 12 miles along the center median of Interstate 75 from McDonough Road in Henry County to Stockbridge Highway in Clayton County. The lanes enhance travel northbound in the morning and southbound in the evening, adding capacity to the general-purpose lanes.

3,173,104 TOTAL TRIPS

$0.90
AVERAGE TOLL FARE

264,425
AVERAGE MONTHLY TRIPS

15,398
HIGHEST ONE-DAY TRIP TOTAL

Northbound
(6 10 A.M. PEAK PERIOD DIRECTION)
2,868
AVERAGE WEEKDAY PEAK PERIOD TRIPS
8.5 MPH
FASTER ON AVERAGE THAN THE ADJACENT GENERAL PURPOSE LANES

Southbound
(3 7 P.M. PEAK PERIOD DIRECTION)
4,614
AVERAGE WEEKDAY PEAK PERIOD TRIPS
17 MPH
FASTER ON AVERAGE THAN THE ADJACENT GENERAL PURPOSE LANES

I-85 EXPRESS LANES EXTENSION

The I-85 Express Lanes were expanded in 2018 with the I-85 Express Lanes Extension, adding 10 miles of toll lanes north of the existing lanes. The I-85 Express Lanes Extension begins at Old Peachtree Road and extends to Hamilton Mill Road.

1,614,598 TOTAL TRIPS

$0.49
AVERAGE TOLL FARE

201,825
AVERAGE MONTHLY TRIPS

12,018
HIGHEST ONE-DAY TRIP TOTAL

Southbound
(6 10 A.M. PEAK PERIOD DIRECTION)
1,453
AVERAGE WEEKDAY PEAK PERIOD TRIPS
8.1 MPH
FASTER ON AVERAGE THAN THE ADJACENT GENERAL PURPOSE LANES

Northbound
(3 7 P.M. PEAK PERIOD DIRECTION)
2,892
AVERAGE WEEKDAY PEAK PERIOD TRIPS
12.7 MPH
FASTER ON AVERAGE THAN THE ADJACENT GENERAL PURPOSE LANES

15

16

NORTHWEST CORRIDOR EXPRESS LANES
The Northwest Corridor Express Lanes opened in 2018 and run north of I-285 on I-75, easing congestion in and out of the city and in the Marietta and Kennesaw areas. The toll lanes span 29.7 miles from Akers Mill Road to Hickory Grove Road on I-75 and along I-575 from I-75 to Sixes Road.
5,860,761 TOTAL TRIPS

$1.79
AVERAGE TOLL FARE

586,076
AVERAGE MONTHLY TRIPS

34,167
HIGHEST ONE-DAY TRIP TOTAL

Southbound
(6 10 A.M. PEAK PERIOD DIRECTION)
9,729
AVERAGE WEEKDAY PEAK PERIOD TRIPS
10.8 MPH
FASTER ON AVERAGE THAN THE ADJACENT GENERAL PURPOSE LANES

Northbound
(3 7 P.M. PEAK PERIOD DIRECTION)
10,842
AVERAGE WEEKDAY PEAK PERIOD TRIPS
9.8 MPH
FASTER ON AVERAGE THAN THE ADJACENT GENERAL PURPOSE LANES

17

18

PEACH PASS
Every year more Georgians put a Peach Pass transponder in their vehicles. A Peach Pass automatically deducts tolls from each toll account when toll lanes are used. The Pay n GO! Peach Pass can be opened and managed with cash instead of using a debit or credit card. The Pay n GO! Peach Pass can be purchased and reloaded with toll credits where gift cards and prepaid cards are sold.
226,388 TOTAL NEW PEACH PASS USERS 3,912 AVERAGE MONTHLY NEW USERS* 26,283 TOTAL NUMBER OF PAY N GO! CARDS SOLD
954,252
TOTAL ACTIVE TRANSPONDERS (PEACHPASS AND CRUISE CARDS) * New users traveling the Express Lanes identified by the first trip from a transponder. 19

17,942

20,000

New Accounts Opened

18,000

Walk-up

Phone

Pay n GO!

Online

16,000

14,000

12,000

9,282

10,000

4,129 5,299

5,375

5,714

5,599

5,659

6,530

8,000

4,089

524 1,105

499 1,359

536 1,449
481

597 1,612
601

412 1,207
366

501 1,304
400

485 1,290 1,089

505 1,826
1,424

514 2,702
2,176

843 922
3,226 4,176
1,060 823
3,212 5,360
2,116 3,532 4,889

6,000

4,000

2,000

0
JUL '18 AUG '18 SEP '18 OCT '18 NOV '18 DEC '18 JAN '19 FEB '19 MAR '19 APR '19 MAY '19 JUN '19

4,335 4,565

20

XPRESS
The Xpress commuter coach service provides a valuable transportation option to commuters throughout the metro Atlanta region while improving the capacity of Georgia's most congested roads and highways.
1,829,104 PASSENGER TRIPS

693 DAILY NORTHWESTERN ROUTES

2,083 DAILY NORTHEASTERN
ROUTES

867 DAILY WESTERN ROUTES

7,685
AVERAGE DAILY PASSENGER TRIPS
SYSTEMWIDE
2,150 DAILY SOUTHERN
ROUTES

1,893 DAILY EASTERN ROUTES

27
ROUTES

27
PARK AND RIDE LOTS

12
METRO ATLANTA COUNTIES

165
COACHES

133
VEHICLES OPERATED IN
MAXIMUM SERVICE

21

49,447,573 TOTAL ANNUAL PASSENGER MILES

XPRESS FINANCIALS

$5,037,840 ANNUAL FAREBOX REVENUE

$22,251,408 TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

22.6%
OPERATING COST CONTRIBUTION FROM FAREBOX REVENUE
(FAREBOX RECOVERY RATIO)

$0.45
AVERAGE OPERATING COST PER PASSENGER MILE

22

VANPOOL
The vanpool program is an affordable service that empowers commuters with similar trip origins and destinations to share rides. Not only does this reduce their commuting costs, it also helps decrease traffic congestion and improve air quality. SRTA works with partner agencies, such as the Atlanta Regional Commission, the Georgia Department of Transportation and metro-area transportation management associations (TMAs) to ensure that the vanpool program fits seamlessly within the region's overall efforts to provide transportation options.
27,684,291 PASSENGER MILES

PASSENGER TRIPS ANNUALLY AVERAGE DAILY PASSENGER TRIPS AVERAGE DAILY RIDERS VANS USED ON AVERAGE TOTAL ANNUAL SUBSIDY

689,980 2,654 1,327 267.4 $1,105,224

CUSTOMER SERVICE
The Customer Service Center (CSC) team is committed to providing customers with the tools they need to plan their daily commutes. Being customer focused is a core value for SRTA. We make training of our CSC staff a top priority to ensure consistent, excellent customer service.
288,853
TOTAL CUSTOMER SERVICE CALLS HANDLED
27,828
INQUIRIES FOCUSED ON XPRESS
261,025
INQUIRIES FOCUSED ON PEACH PASS

23

24

INCIDENT MANAGEMENT

SRTA and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) monitor the roads from the Traffic Management Center. Our staff are continuously at the ready to monitor any incidents that may arise. SRTA's Toll Operations Center (TOC) is located inside GDOT's Traffic Management Center. The TOC houses closed-circuit television and video detection cameras, allowing trained operators to view real-time speed, changeable message signs, traffic volume and travel time data on the Express Lanes.

I-75 South Metro Express Lanes

226
TOTAL INCIDENTS REPORTED

24 MIN AVERAGE DURATION

126,399 TOTAL TOLL VIOLATIONS*

Northwest Corridor Express Lanes

340
TOTAL INCIDENTS REPORTED

32 MIN AVERAGE DURATION

194,254 TOTAL TOLL VIOLATIONS*

I-85 Express Lanes

1,708
TOTAL INCIDENTS REPORTED

35 MIN AVERAGE DURATION

437,737 TOTAL TOLL VIOLATIONS*

I-85 Express Lanes Extension

203
TOTAL INCIDENTS REPORTED

70 MIN AVERAGE DURATION

32,449 TOTAL TOLL VIOLATIONS*

* Express Lane users without a valid Peach Pass or interoperable account or who cross the double white line on I-85 are subject to a toll violation.

826,839
TOTAL TOLL VIOLATIONS FOR ALL LANES
25

16,187 MILES BETWEEN MECHANICAL SERVICE
INTERRUPTIONS
1.57
PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLE MILES ON AVERAGE
26