Washington State has invested more than 1.5 billion of state and federal dollars in freeway HOV lanes and ramps over the past 38 years.
WSDOT map of the HOV system in Central Puget Sound. Approximately 220 lane-miles of a planned 300 mile HOV system have been built since 1970. See the larger interactive
map.
What are HOV lanes?
HOV lanes are high occupancy vehicle lanes, also known as carpool or diamond lanes. HOV lanes are reserved for people who share the ride in buses, vanpools, or carpools. Freeway HOV lanes are generally inside (left) lanes and are identified by signs along the freeway and diamond symbols painted on the pavement. They are typically separated from the other lanes on the freeway by a wide solid white line.
The Freeway HOV System
The freeway HOV system is a key part of our state’s highway network. It connects many population and employment areas within the greater Seattle metropolitan area, providing north-south and east-west connections between Everett, Seattle, SeaTac, Federal Way, Fife, Auburn, Kent, Renton, Bellevue, Issaquah, Redmond, and other cities.
HOV lanes enable commuters to get to work more quickly, and provide an incentive to take the bus, carpool, or vanpool anytime during the day. HOV lanes help buses stay on schedule and also provide access for emergency vehicles when needed.
Why do we have HOV lanes?
HOV lanes are there to save time for bus riders and carpoolers by enabling them to bypass areas of traffic congestion. They are designed to move more people in fewer vehicles, and often have more people in them than adjacent lanes even when they don’t look full.
How do HOV Lanes work?
How do I use the HOV lanes?
Vehicles carrying the required number of people may cross the solid white line and enter or exit HOV lanes at any point. The required number of people on most HOV lanes is two, with these exceptions:
The definition of “person” is not limited by age or driver’s license status.
What hours do HOV lanes operate?
HOV lanes on westside freeways operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. HOV lanes on eastside freeways are open to all drivers at night.
Direct access ramps are restricted to carpools, vanpools and buses all the time - even when HOV lanes are open to all traffic. One exception to this is the direct access ramps at Ash Way. These ramps are restricted to buses-only for safety reasons.
HOV operating hours are as follows for all seven days of the week, except as noted:
- I-5: 24 hours a day.
- I-405: 5 am – 7 pm.
- SR 520 (east of I-405): 5 am – 7 pm.
- SR 520 (west of I-405): 24 hours a day.
NOTE: The SR 520 lane west of I-405 requires three or more people.
- I-90 (east of I-405): 5 am – 7 pm.
- I-90 (west of I-405): 24 hours a day.
Note: Single occupant vehicles are allowed in the I-90 Reversible Express Lanes between Mercer Island and Seattle.
- SR 16: 24 hours a day.
NOTE: Now that the HOV lanes on SR 167 have been converted to HOT lanes between Renton and Auburn, the operating hours remain the same. HOVs are never required to have a transponder or to pay a toll when using these HOT lanes, and all other vehicles may use the lanes without a toll or transponder between the hours of 7 pm and 5 am.
- SR 167: 5 am – 7 pm
- SR 305: 6 – 8 am and 3 – 6 pm, M – F.
- Direct access ramps (all): 24 hours a day.
NOTE: Direct access ramps at Ash Way are for transit-only.
Hours are also shown graphically on the Puget Sound HOV map.
Who can use HOV lanes?
Drivers can use HOV lanes whenever there are two or more people in their vehicle.
There are two exceptions to this rule:
- SR 520, west of I-405. This is the only place on the HOV system where three or more people are required. The 3+ occupancy requirement on this segment has to do with safety concerns.
- I-90 Reversible Express Lanes, west of Island Crest Way. Single occupant vehicles traveling between Seattle and Mercer Island and vise versa are allowed to use the I-90 HOV Reversible Express Lanes. This has to do with a Memo of Understanding between Seattle, Bellevue, Mercer Island, and WSDOT. Solo drivers may use the I-90 HOV Reversible Express Lanes between Exits #3 and #7 in both directions. They cannot use the HOV Express Lanes east of Exit #7 on Mercer Island.
The definition of "people" is not limited by age or licensing status. Hybrid and other green vehicles with only a driver are not allowed to use the HOV lane. All vehicles except recreational vehicles are limited to 10,000 GVW; there is no weight limit for recreational vehicles. Towing is allowed in the HOV lanes as long as an adequate speed can be maintained.
Public buses, emergency vehicles, and motorcycles can use freeway HOV lanes at any time, regardless of how many people are on board.
Who cannot use freeway HOV lanes?
Vehicles in the HOV lanes during operating hours without the required number of people or trucks weighing more than 10,000 lbs. are subject to a $124 fine from the Washington State Patrol. Citizens may also report HOV lane violators through the HERO program at 1-877-764-HERO or online. These restrictions maintain the reliability and safety of the lanes.
How are HOV lanes enforced?
Enforcement of the state’s freeway HOV lanes is the responsibility of the Washington State Patrol. The State Patrol does enforce the HOV lanes as much as possible, although other safety-related activities must often take priority. Last year the State Patrol issued over 11,500 tickets for HOV violations. An HOV lane violation ticket costs $124.
In order to assist HOV lane integrity, we also rely on citizens to report HOV lane violators through the HERO program. You can help the HOV system by reporting the license plate number, time of day and location of any violators you may see either online or by calling 1-877-764-HERO.
Although violation rates vary from location to location around the system, the average violation rate in this area is less than five percent. This is one of the lowest rates in the country.
How well is the HOV system working?
HOV lanes move over one-third of the people on rush hour freeways in only about 19% of the vehicles. The average HOV lane is carrying more than 1½ times as many people as the average “regular” lane during the peak commuting periods, and is saving users time on each freeway. These averages are based on peak commuting periods and directions.
Puget Sound enjoys one of the lowest HOV lane violation rates in the nation. In fact, HOV lanes are so popular that they are getting crowded. Most of our HOV lanes are congested during rush hours and no longer maintain the 45 mph performance standard we have adopted for HOV lanes. Conversely, a few HOV corridors show growing volumes but still have space available. WSDOT is working to address both of these issues.
How do HOV lanes help?
- Efficiency. HOV lanes increase freeway efficiency by moving more people in fewer vehicles than the full lanes next to them.
- Reliability. HOV lanes help express buses stick to their schedules. Carpools and vanpools also receive a quicker and more reliable freeway trip.
- Speed, Ease & Money. Users cite saving time and money, reduced stress, and convenience as the main reasons they use the HOV system.
- Freeway Demand. HOV lanes reduce competition for a limited amount of space on the freeway during rush hours.
- Fewer Cars Area-Wide. HOV lanes reduce the number of car trips on the overall transportation system.
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Whenever the total number of car trips goes down, less of a burden is placed on the environment. HOV lanes therefore help to improve local air quality, and reduce this area’s contribution to global warming.
- Sustainability. HOV lanes are a crucial component of offering sustainable transportation alternatives to solo driving.
Is there public support for HOV lanes?
The Puget Sound region enjoys a high level of popularity with all freeway users. A public opinion poll (pdf 84 kb) done in 2007 by the University of Washington showed that 76% of freeway drivers who do not usually use the HOV lanes still thought HOV lanes were a good idea. 66% of this same non-user group felt that HOV lane construction should continue, and 62% disagreed with the idea of opening the HOV lanes to everyone all the time.
What problems is the freeway HOV system experiencing?
The Puget Sound freeway HOV system is very well utilized during the seven hours per day (6-9 am and 3-7 pm) that are considered the peak commuting periods. These commuting hours often spread beyond the typical peak hours into the early morning, mid-day, and evening hours as well, when HOV volumes can also be quite high. In fact, the HOV lanes on I-5 and I-405 are so well utilized that they are usually congested during the peak periods and no longer meet our established performance standard of 45 mph . This makes it difficult for express buses to stick to their schedules, impedes the speed and reliability for carpoolers, and reduces the incentive for all users to share rides. A study was initiated in 2007 to help develop some short-term solutions to this problem. Longer-term solutions will most likely come in the form of active traffic management being studied by the State.
What is in the future for HOV lanes?
Population in the Puget Sound area is expected to increase by about 1½ million, and the number of jobs by about one million, over the next 35 years. Our general purpose lanes, and most of our HOV lanes, are congested during the peak periods, and those peak periods are becoming longer all the time.
WSDOT initiated a study in 2007 to look at ways to help over-utilized HOV lanes. Active traffic management, innovative technology, and other congestion management tools will be necessary to help keep everyone moving. Meanwhile here are some other measures being taken to help the HOV system stay productive:
New Lanes
Approximately 220 miles of a planned 300 mile HOV system are complete. Approximately 20 miles of new HOV lanes are currently under construction. These projects will expand the system through Everett, and eventually to Puyallup and through Tacoma to Gig Harbor.
Pierce County’s first HOV lane segment opened on SR 16 in January 2007, and the HOV lanes on I-5 were extended from Federal Way to the Pierce/King county line in May 2007. A short segment of HOV on SR 305 in Kitsap County opened in January 2008.
New Ramps
Direct access ramps at 20 locations throughout the Puget Sound region have been identified to improve travel time and safety. Direct access ramps drop HOV traffic directly into the HOV lane, removing the need for HOVs to weave across the freeway. They improve travel time, safety, and reliability by providing a more direct way for HOVs to get in and out of the lanes.
Six of these ramps have already been built, and anotherthree are under construction. These ramps are being planned and constructed in partnership with Sound Transit and other agencies. They are in operation and producing time savings of up to six minutes per trip. They are also creating smoother driving conditions for both HOVs and surrounding traffic.
HOT Lanes
"HOT lanes" are high occupancy toll lanes. HOV lanes can become inefficient if they are too congested. Likewise, HOV lanes with low volumes are not being used as efficiently as possible. To ensure optimum efficiency, WSDOT is testing conversion of some under-utilized HOV lanes to HOT lanes.
HOT lanes allow single occupant vehicles to drive in the HOV lane for a toll when there is room. The toll price varies depending upon how much space is available in the lane and how congested the general purpose lanes are. The less space, the higher the toll. In this way, the optimum number of vehicles can be allowed in the lane.
The State’s first HOT lanes pilot project opened on SR 167 between Renton and Auburn on May 3rd. For those familiar with these HOV lanes, use will be very similar to before the conversion. HOVs will not pay a toll on these lanes, nor will they need transponders. The main difference for HOVs (as well as all other vehicles) is that access in and out of the lanes is now restricted to areas where the double-white line changes to dashed.
Vehicles which operate as both single-occupant cars and HOVs will need to obtain a shield for their transponder. This will prevent toll withdrawals from their account when they have two or more people in their cars. For more information on HOT lane operations on SR 167 please see the project page.
How to get more information?
OPERATIONS:
Leslie Forbis
HOV Operations Engineer
Northwest Region
PO Box 330310
Seattle, WA 98133-9710
(206) 440-4456
Email: hov@wsdot.wa.gov
or
POLICY:
Leah Bolotin
Senior HOV Planner
Urban Planning Office
401 - 2nd Avenue S, #300
Seattle, WA 98104-3850
(206) 464-1264
Email: BolotiL@wsdot.wa.gov