HOV and HOT Lanes in the United States.

The development and operation of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) facilities in the U.S. have evolved over the past 30 years. The opening of the bus-only lane on the Shirley Highway (I-395) in Northern Virginia/Washington, D.C. in 1969, the contraflow bus lane on the approach to New York-New Jersey's Lincoln Tunnel in 1970, and the El Monte Busway in Los Angeles in 1973, represent the first freeway HOV applications in the country. Today there are some 130 HOV freeway projects in the 31 metropolitan areas in North America. Many of the initial HOV lanes were bus-only applications or allowed buses and vanpools. In an effort to maximize use, carpools became the dominant use group on most projects during the 1970s and 1980s. The vehicle-occupancy requirements for carpools have evolved over time. A three-person per vehicle (3+) occupancy level was initially used on many projects, but most current facilities use a two-person per vehicle (2+) carpool designation. More recently, value pricing projects including high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, have been implemented on a few HOV lanes. These approaches are part of a broader managed lanes concept that employs market forces to help maximize use of the HOV facilities. Value pricing and HOT lanes allow single-occupant or lower occupancy vehicles to use an HOV lane for a fee, while maintaining free travel to qualifying HOVs. This paper examines HOT projects in operation in the U.S., as well as those in the planning stage. Current HOT projects include the I-15 FasTrak Express Lanes in San Diego, the QuickRide program on the I-10 West and US 290 HOV lanes in Houston, and the MnPASS project on the I-394 HOV lanes in Minneapolis. The SR 91 Express Lanes in Orange County, California, which represent a toll facility that provides discounted travel for HOVs, are also highlighted. Projects in the planning stage include I-25 in Denver and SR 167 in Seattle. The paper concludes with a discussion of the factors influencing consideration of HOT and value pricing projects and possible future directions for these programs.