Tolling and Managed Lane solution in Texas
Transforming the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex with a fully integrated tolling and managed lanes system, ensuring reliable travel times, efficient congestion management, and scalable operations.
By 2008, the LBJ Freeway carried 270,000 vehicles daily, with demand forecast to exceed 500,000 by 2020. The region required a modern managed lanes solution capable of expanding roadway capacity, managing congestion, and delivering predictable travel speeds.
Client:
Texas Department of Transportation & regional partners
Scope:
Design, install, & implement field systems as part of an integrated managed lanes program
Solutions:
Integrated toll collection, traffic management, & video tolling with interoperability across Texas toll tags
Key achievements
36.7
miles of managed lanes
22.2M
quarterly transactions (Q4 2020)
$90.4M
revenue in Q4 2020
Project Scope
Outgrowing traditional capacity management
Kapsch was contracted to design, install, and implement the field systems as a key part of a fully integrated managed lanes program spanning three projects across the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. The 36.7-mile system combines expanded frontage and general-purpose lanes with dynamically priced TEXpress lanes to ensure reliable travel speeds and congestion management.
- Corridors: Expanded frontage lanes, general-purpose lanes, and dynamically priced TEXpress lanes
- Infrastructure: Gantry and pole structures, roadway placement, fiber optic plant design, and optimized conduit routing
- Systems: TCS, ITS, ATMS, and redundant NCS for real-time operations
- Reconstruction: Expanded frontage and mainline lanes on I-820 and Airport Freeway corridors
Solution
A fully integrated managed lanes system
- A fully integrated TCS, ITS, and ATMS with a central system: Including the ability to perform transaction collection and efficiently manages traffic congestion
- Dynamic Pricing: The Kapsch DYNAC ATMS® software integrates incident management, vehicle detection, and real-time traffic monitoring. It continuously adjusts toll rates based on congestion levels, ensuring reliable travel speeds and optimal lane utilization
- Laser Vehicle Detection: Kapsch Laser Vehicle Detection and Classification (LVDC) technology uses high-precision volumetric scanning to capture more than 20 vehicle features, creating detailed profiles for accurate classification and toll calculation
- Interoperability: A toll tag–independent platform capable of reading NTTA Toll Tag, TxTag, EZ TAG, and HOV tags. Future-ready scalability is ensured by Kapsch Multiple Protocol Reader technology, supporting seamless interoperability across Texas agencies
- Video Tolling: The Kapsch VR2 video toll system uses high-definition front and rear image capture for each vehicle, ensuring accurate identification and enforcement while maintaining free-flow traffic conditions
DYNAC
Impact
Safe & reliable travel
Ensures congestion-free trips and predictable driving speeds
Reliable planning
More accurate travel times support commute planning and corridor-wide mobility
Choice for drivers
Dynamic tolling model allows travelers to select faster, premium lanes when needed
Scalable connectivity
Encourages access to major destinations, including Dallas/Fort Worth airport
