Extension of HOV to 6:30pm

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   I agree that the extension should be to 6:30pm.  I live in Fredericksburg and there have been days I was stuck at Rosslyn and then the Pentagon without a ride.  After 6pm there is no incentive to pick up slugs and there were days I waited until 7:30pm to 8pm for a ride because I could not get a ride from Rosslyn.

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Matrix Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 19 Sep 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Matrix Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 10:09am
	I agree that the extension should be to 6:30pm. I live in Fredericksburg and there have been days I was stuck at Rosslyn and then the Pentagon without a ride. After 6pm there is no incentive to pick up slugs and there were days I waited until 7:30pm to 8pm for a ride because I could not get a ride from Rosslyn.

dkerley Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 Sep 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote dkerley Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 11:48am
	I agree that would we should at least petition VDOT to at least try extending the HOV time to 6:30 -- at least for a month just to get an updated study. When I moved to Stafford in Dec. of 1998, it wasn't nearly as populated and built up as it is now. Mr. Lantz said in his e-mail that, "The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has since looked into the potential impacts of extending the hours and determined that person movement on the HOV lanes during that one-half hour would decrease and congestion in the general-purpose lanes would increase." Okay, I can care less about the traffic in the regular lanes. I have chosen to use slugging or carpooling and because I have chosen to do so, I will reap the privilege of using the HOV lanes. If people in the regular lanes remain stubborn about carpooling or using mass transit or picking up slugs, then let them rot in their cars! That shouldn't be OUR problem. Maybe if we take that approach with VDOT, maybe, just maybe they might let us try it out for a month in 2002 -- not 1971 or 1987! It doesn't hurt to try it out! And, if VDOT doesn't want to do anything about it then we could go over their heads. VDOT has been a thorn in my side since the mountains of snow fiasco at the Rt. 610 lot a couple of winters ago where they piled mountains of snow across several parking spaces and when people had to park illegally, the tow trucks were out there towing people and fining them. SO LET'S KEEP AFTER VDOT! Dina Edited by - dkerley on 01 Oct 2002 11:49:08

emmancilla Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 03 Sep 2002 Location: va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote emmancilla Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 2:52pm
	Dina, I agree with you. This gentleman is talking about studies that don't fit what we are actually living in reality right now.

Sheepish Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 May 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sheepish Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 2:53pm
	As someone else pointed out in another thread, morning restrictions are longer than the afternoon by a half hour. Doesn't logic tell you that if a system needs that much time in the morning, the same is needed in the evening? In my opinion, the evening commute is consistently worse than the morning (granted not by much), yet the HOV restriction time is less when it is needed the most. Also think about the extra single car traffic added to the HOV lanes during the mixing bowl construction. Did VDOT count that extra traffic congestion and its impact to valid HOV lane users in their study? I'd be willing to fight this battle to extend the time...

emmancilla Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 03 Sep 2002 Location: va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote emmancilla Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 3:15pm
	Another thing that bothers me is the fact that the I-66 HOV restriction ends at 7:00pm while the I-95 ends at 6:00. How come? I assume it is the same traffic volume, maybe more on I-95.

tlschau Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 23 Jul 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote tlschau Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 3:42pm
	Well said, everyone. I really don't know how this petition thing works, but obviously we will need a lot of people to get involved. One idea, as I have previously stated, would be for anyone who knows the webmaster of this site to contact him/her about posting this idea for a petition on this site's main page. I think that if we use as many modes of communication as possible that this idea would really take off as more people hear about it.

emmancilla Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 03 Sep 2002 Location: va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote emmancilla Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 3:51pm
	I just found the Governor's of Virginia web site. We can send our suggestions to the following link: http://www.governor.state.va.us/Contact/email_form.html Let's go for it!

dkerley Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 Sep 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote dkerley Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 4:27pm
	We can draft a letter addressed to the people we need to address it to, detailing our complaint and the reason why. Then, we could utilize one of those petition web sites whereas you can create a petition and then you get a link to that petition. Once you have that, then we could post the link as a new topic directing people if they are interested to sign the petition. Any other ideas? quote: Well said, everyone. I really don't know how this petition thing works, but obviously we will need a lot of people to get involved. One idea, as I have previously stated, would be for anyone who knows the webmaster of this site to contact him/her about posting this idea for a petition on this site's main page. I think that if we use as many modes of communication as possible that this idea would really take off as more people hear about it. Dina

dkerley Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 Sep 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote dkerley Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 4:30pm
	OK, I found one of the petition online sites: http://www.petitiononline.com/create_petition.html I am getting ready to get out of here, but I should have some time to work on this tonight when I get home. Dina

Sheepish Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 May 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sheepish Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 5:09pm
	If a specific petition is drafted and downloadable from this site, perhaps drivers/riders would consider carrying multiple copies with them to request signatures while in cars or slug lines and to distribute blank forms to others that may not utilize this site, but willing to support the cause. Of course someone to send the final copies to would need to be identified... These are just a few thoughts, but the critical piece of this would be the wording of the petition-- it needs to be carefully written-- prior to starting the process of obtaining signatures. And a request for those that don't see this time extension as necessary due to your earlier travel home times, or your view that better enforcement of violators is all that is needed. Please consider supporting those that support the slugging system and who are trying to make it better. Some people have the flexibility to work earlier hours, while others do not. And as for the cry for better enforcement, that issue is still going to be there no matter what time the restriction is lifted.