Assembly Legislation Introduced to Do Away With Diamond Lanes
Special diamond traffic lanes to promote carpooling would be banned in California by Jan. 1, 1989, under legislation that has been introduced in the Assembly.
“Diamond lanes don’t alleviate congestion--they perpetuate it,” Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks), said Friday in a statement announcing the proposal. “Diamond lanes increase the risk of accidents.”
McClintock cited state Department of Transportation figures showing that the car-pool lane on the Costa Mesa Freeway in Orange County carries only 9% of the traffic while taking up 25% of the freeway.
He also said a U.S. Department of Transportation study showed that diamond lanes increased the accident rate by 204% in San Francisco and by 256% in Santa Monica.
The lawmaker said most commuters cannot take advantage of the lanes because their work places are scattered over too wide an area for car pools.
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