|
Some Cheer,
Others Jeer Plan for HOV-2 on I-95
by Justin Blum, Washington Post
Staff Writer
December 28,
1996
For Lillian Smith and her 15 van pool passengers, expansion of HOV
lanes and ramps into Prince William County on Interstate 95 has cut
their travel time nearly in half, reducing their commute from Potomac
Mills to Rosslyn to 35 minutes. Now Smith fears she'll be stuck in
gridlock if transportation
officials reduce the requirement for high-occupancy-vehicle lanes from
three to two passengers.
"It'll be just like the regular lanes," said Smith, 44, of Dale
City. "The express lanes are not going to serve their purpose. It ain't
going to do nothing but back that traffic up something terrible."
Commuters who use I-95's HOV lanes expressed mixed reaction
recently to the Virginia Department of Transportation's announcement
earlier this month that it's considering reducing the requirements on
those lanes.
Many who use the express lanes were fuming about discussion of
HOV-2 -- particularly "slugs," the people who hitch free rides with
drivers who want to use the HOV lanes. Some feared that a switch to
HOV-2 might make it harder to find a ride.
"I might be stranded," said Milinda Jefferson, 22, of Dale City,
who hitches to work.
Those who drive on regular lanes said they were hopeful a change to
HOV-2 would encourage more car-pooling and reduce traffic for them.
Rick Fowler, of Woodbridge, would welcome the switch to HOV-2. He
said he's often stuck in gridlock in the regular lanes and then sees an
occasional car whipping though HOV lanes at full speed.
"It can be really frustrating when your lanes are tied up," said
Fowler, 46.
John Lisack, 51, of Lake Ridge, who also drives in the regular
lanes, agreed. "Anybody who has more than one person in a car should be
able to use it -- anything that would encourage people to reduce the
number of cars on the road," he said.
Virginia Transportation Secretary Robert E. Martinez said he thinks
the HOV lanes on I-95 and Interstate 395 are underused and that his
department is studying a switch from HOV-3 to HOV-2. Martinez said that
traffic studies would not be done for several months and that a decision
would not be made until then.
If VDOT's studies show that switching to HOV-2 would bring traffic
in express lanes to a crawl, Martinez said, the state would not make the
change. Martinez said transportation officials had not decided how much
congestion would be too much on HOV lanes.
"If there were major degradation in the velocity {of vehicle
travel}, we'd have to look at that," Martinez said. "If they're still
able to move at 55 {mph}, then they shouldn't be concerned."
Prince William County's strategic plan, which is in its draft stage
and has not yet been approved by the Board of County Supervisors, asks
the state to go forward with the change to HOV-2 on a trial basis as a
way to improve traffic flow.
More people have been using the HOV lanes since they were expanded
into Prince William last year. But it's unclear how many county
residents use the lanes. In February 1995, before HOV lanes were
extended, 2,749 vehicles traveled on the lanes in the Newington area
during a morning rush hour. By June 1996, after the expansion, there
were 3,822 vehicles.
Discussion of HOV-2 sparked concern among slugs gathered at a
commuter lot at the Prince William County Parkway and I-95. They lined
up in the chilly morning darkness this week waiting for drivers who
would periodically pull up and announce their destinations: "Pentagon!"
"14th and K!"
Some drivers and passengers worried that with HOV-2, there might
not be enough rides for slugs.
Jean Hebert, 38, of Montclair, said drivers would not take more
than two riders -- even if they had space. "Most people will probably
get on with two people," Hebert said. "It'll put more cars on the road."
Paula Nicely, 45, of Woodbridge, said "if you get it down to two,
you're defeating the purpose," because it would encourage more people to
drive and fewer people to car pool.
Nicely also said she fears that if more people use the HOV lanes,
she'll be late picking up her children from day care.
"I don't think it's going to take any pressure off 95," she said.
"If anything, it's going to add."
Not everyone in the commuter lot thought HOV-2 was untenable.
Bernadette Fields, 26, of Dumfries, said she thought switching to HOV-2
might be a good idea -- as long as there is an increase in the number of
parking spaces in commuter lots.
Those who drive in regular lanes on I-95 said that they understood
car-poolers' concerns but that something needs to be done to ease
congestion on the regular lanes.
"I would like to see more utilization of the HOV lanes," said John
Reid, 42, of Lake Ridge. "I'd like to see it even-up traffic."
Dale City resident Milinda Jefferson, 22, waits to hitch
a ride at an I-95 commuter lot. She fears that a switch to HOV-2 might
make it harder to find a ride.
"Slugs" wait to hitch rides with drivers who want to use
express lanes. Some say that with HOV-2, they'll be stranded.
Copyright 1996 The Washington Post
|
