how does the express lanes work?

[ibuzz5]

What streets are the express lanes going northbound located?

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by Freebird2007

how does it work? it doesn't

It actually works very well if you know about it. I suspect that it works so well because so many people do NOT know about it and assume it's carpool only. Even the WSDOT website doesn't mention that all drivers can use them.

This thread alone might cause several thousand more cars to crowd it in the next few days.

WSDOT - King County Express Lanes

[suziq999]

I often take the northbound I-5 express out of downtown at Pike (carpool only). It's annoying though because I get off just a few stops later in U-district at 42nd but it's better than regular I-5 and getting off at 50th where I want to get off at and then cross over to the other side of I-5.

I never take it southbound because of the lack of access on the west side of the highway, though maybe I should try someday.

[sean98125]

Suzi, when I lived in Wallingford I'd get on at 65th instead of 42nd when I was going southbound. I lived near 53rd & Meridian.

[deleteno5]

I'm moving to Seattle and am from an area where we don't have "Express Lanes" - what the heck is an express lane? Also, can motorcycles use the HOV lanes here (as they can anywhere else I've been)?

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by deleteno5

I'm moving to Seattle and am from an area where we don't have "Express Lanes" - what the heck is an express lane? Also, can motorcycles use the HOV lanes here (as they can anywhere else I've been)?

Yes, motorcycles can use HOV lanes.

Express lanes are special designated lanes (that are separated) and designed to help alleviate traffic.

[suziq999]

Originally Posted by sean98125

Suzi, when I lived in Wallingford I'd get on at 65th instead of 42nd when I was going southbound. I lived near 53rd & Meridian.

Huh. I may need to try it some day - though usually I go in pretty early and I 5 south is actually fine at 7-7:30 in the morning. I have seen the express lanes back up at the exits at downtown- but maybe the HOV one is ok? I live on Phinney Ridge, so I've just been taking Aurora but it might be nice to mix it up. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by deleteno5

I'm moving to Seattle and am from an area where we don't have "Express Lanes" - what the heck is an express lane? Also, can motorcycles use the HOV lanes here (as they can anywhere else I've been)?

It's a separated couple of lanes with fewer exits/entrances than the regular lanes, so it moves faster and more smoothly. If I'm going to North Seattle from the south, I get on the express lanes around Seneca Street and don't get off til around Northgate. But you can't stay on the express lanes forever, they're not always open, if you use I-5, traffic is the norm. Those lanes also reverse, so where you got on in the AM going northbound, those two lanes are now going southbound in the afternoon. It's well marked enough and gated off, I haven't heard of people crashing through the barricades to enter the express lanes the wrong way.