Are high-occupancy vehicle lanes effective? Overview of high-occupancy vehicle facilities across North America

An overview of the performance of a sample of freeway high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes across North America is presented, to describe how they are performing with respect to their true intent and to identify issues for the long-term viability of HOV lanes. Measures of effectiveness evaluated include person-throughput, HOV lane utilization, and travel time savings. The analysis, which was based on a limited amount of data, showed that of the HOV lane facilities reviewed, the vast majority appear to be operating effectively with respect to the measures assessed. In addition, despite recent media criticism and political questioning of HOV lanes, recent surveys from several parts of the country indicate strong public support for the facilities. A number of critical issues for long-term viability of HOV lanes were identified. In the planning stages, it is critical that any HOV facility recommended will meet the minimum standards for utilization and person-throughput, because ineffective or poorly implemented HOV lanes have been known to turn public and political opinion against HOV lanes in general and may serve to discredit other potentially effective HOV facilities. Also recommended is identification of contingency strategies, which, in cases of marginal or underutilized facilities, could be implemented to make the facility more effectively utilized in the near term and to preserve the HOV option for the long term. Rather than redesignation of a facility for general-purpose (GP) use, alternative ways to manage the facility should be considered, since redesignation of a lane for HOV use is difficult, if not impossible in most areas, once that lane has been turned over to GP traffic.