The toll reductions are part of the Orange County Transportation Authority's congestion management pricing policy. It calls for dropping and raising tolls based on traffic demand. Traffic volumes are monitored daily and adjusted quarterly.
The OCTA bought the 91 express lanes in 2003 from the private company that built them. The purchase removed a non-compete clause and to date, more than $10 million from revenue has gone toward improvements to the parallel Riverside Freeway.