Project Overview

The 91 Express Lanes are a 10- mile, four-lane express toll lane facility in the median of SR-91 in Orange County, California, extending eastward from the SR-55 interchange near Anaheim to the Riverside County line. The facility consists of two lanes in each direction, separated from five general-purpose lanes in each direction by tubular markers. There are single points of access and egress on each end, with no intermediate entrances or exits.

The lanes offer a premium service for toll-paying customers and carpools traveling between bedroom communities in Riverside County and commercial centers in Orange County.

The 91 Express Lanes feature a fixed-schedule variable toll structure, with rates that vary based on direction of travel, day of the week, and the hour of the day. The toll rate schedule is examined quarterly and adjusted if necessary. Three-person carpools receive a 50 percent discount during weekday afternoon peak periods and may use the lanes toll-free at other times. All other customers are required to have a FasTrak™ toll transponder and pay a non-discounted toll to use the facility.

The express lanes were originally developed under a long-term public-private partnership (P3) concession by a private consortium, the California Private Transportation Company (CPTC). It opened in 1995 and was the first priced managed lane facility in the United States. In 2003, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) purchased the operating franchise for the 91 Express Lanes from CPTC, and the lanes were returned to public control. OCTA contracts Cofiroute USA (one of the original partners in the CPTC) to operate the express lanes.