Cities with the most useful HOV and Express Lanes (assessment, cars)
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Which cities do you find that have horrible traffic for solo drivers but where for those in the carpool lane or express lane, there is hardly any traffic?
I'd say Los Angeles. Horrible traffic, but you're golden if you're in the HOV lane or express/toll lane. If all you do is drive in the HOV or express lanes in LA, "freeway congestion" won't even be in your vocabulary. You'll blow pass cars not in the carpool lane at warp speed during rush hour.
Would you agree with my assessment of LA? What are some other metros where the traffic is horrible but actually a piece of cake if you drive in the carpool or express lanes?
For NYC Metro, I wouldn't go as far as to say a piece of cake but the HOV lanes on the LIE (Long Island Expressway) do significantly improve the hellacious traffic experience that has long been known as the "world's longest parking lot".
Which cities do you find that have horrible traffic for solo drivers but where for those in the carpool lane or express lane, there is hardly any traffic?
I'd say Los Angeles. Horrible traffic, but you're golden if you're in the HOV lane or express/toll lane. If all you do is drive in the HOV or express lanes in LA, "freeway congestion" won't even be in your vocabulary. You'll blow pass cars not in the carpool lane at warp speed during rush hour.
Would you agree with my assessment of LA? What are some other metros where the traffic is horrible but actually a piece of cake if you drive in the carpool or express lanes?
I think the HOV lanes in LA are pretty crowded actually. They don't really seem to have a lot of capacity especially if they convert them to HOT lanes like they want to.
Bay Area carpools lanes are pretty congested too imo. The I-80 carpool lanes from Richmond down to the Bay Bridge require 3 people because they are so congested and some other carpool segments in the region might see the threshold upped too.
San Diego has good HOT lanes, especially the I-15 corridor with the adjustable barrier.
I am interested, because I used to slug in DC area, in the HOV lanes (semi-organized hitchhiking). that seemed to work pretty well. but, still, the HOV lanes were way underused compared to the regular lanes. the HOV lanes on 279 in Pittsburgh are also underused, but man it does take some time off of the commute.
I think the HOV lanes in LA are pretty crowded actually. They don't really seem to have a lot of capacity especially if they convert them to HOT lanes like they want to.
Bay Area carpools lanes are pretty congested too imo. The I-80 carpool lanes from Richmond down to the Bay Bridge require 3 people because they are so congested and some other carpool segments in the region might see the threshold upped too.
San Diego has good HOT lanes, especially the I-15 corridor with the adjustable barrier.
Yeah, LA carpool lanes have a fair amount of traffic. Usually they are better than the main lanes unless there is an accident, but not always by much.
I am interested, because I used to slug in DC area, in the HOV lanes (semi-organized hitchhiking). that seemed to work pretty well. but, still, the HOV lanes were way underused compared to the regular lanes. the HOV lanes on 279 in Pittsburgh are also underused, but man it does take some time off of the commute.
Hmm, so sounds like the DC HOV lanes are underused and thus very effective in bypassing traffic. How good are the 495 express lanes? DC traffic is very bad, but sounds like it can be avoided often simply by using HOV and toll lanes, right?
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