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Limiting infrastructure growth can reduce corporate productivity by up to 40%. 2.3 billion people lack access to basic sanitation facilities. In developing countries, barely 30% of agricultural products undergo industrial processing, compared to 98% in developing countries. Investment in infrastructure and innovation are crucial drivers of economic growth and development. That is why Sustainable Development Goal 9 aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

Managed Lanes: Innovation for Mobility

Infrastructure development and innovation form part of our DNA. As such, we are aware of how important this tool is for progress, sustainability and community empowerment. Our Managed Lanes solution deserves a special mention for its work searching for solutions to current and future challenges related with urban corridor congestion.

The Managed Lanes model consists of adding additional lanes to congested urban corridors to improve traffic speed and flow. This model uses dynamic tolling, where the toll charged varies depending on the level of congestion. More than 10 million vehicles have used the following Managed Lanes: LBJ, NTE and NTE 35W in Dallas, USA. 80% of users have rated their experience as positive.

Managed Lanes are highly complex concessions, but they come with the freedom to set toll rates and operate with high levels of user satisfaction. This model proves that innovation fosters the development of efficient projects, facilitates urban mobility, reduces emissions and improves the environment.

These solutions would be impossible to achieve without the continuous development of technological innovations such as:

• Dynamic toll-setting module. Dynamic tolls calculate toll rates in real time based on traffic conditions and other variables such as weather, accidents or holidays.
• Toll flow. The toll flow device detects traffic conditions that are likely to create congestion in the toll area and facilitates traffic prevention.
• Fingerprinting. The fingerprinting device improves the precision of license plate recognition with an image-identification algorithm.
• Drive on Texpress. Since 2014, carpool drivers can use this app to get 50% off Texan Managed Lane tolls during rush hour.

The Benefits of Innovation

Dynamic traffic management for Managed Lanes brings many advantages to administrations, users and the environment. Managed Lanes allows public administrations to transfer taxpayer risk to investors, accelerate project development, save on life cycle costs associated with the infrastructure and access innovative technologies and designs.

User benefits include: decreased traffic, increased travel time reliability, diversified travel options and improved overall experience. Lastly, Managed Lanes also has a positive impact on the environment and society: improved mobility, increased road safety and lower CO2 emissions (by reducing congestion).