24-Hour Car-Pool Lanes Found to Be Exception in U.S.

A new study of 34 car-pool lanes nationwide shows that Orange County is in the minority by insisting that the lanes be restricted 24 hours a day instead of only during rush hours.

The study prepared for the Orange County Transportation Commission found that 12 similar car-pool lane facilities across the United States operate on a 24-hour basis, while 22 are either closed or revert to use by all vehicles during non-peak traffic periods.

The study was conducted after Orange County Supervisor Roger R. Stanton and other commission members questioned whether the 24-hour restriction on use of the car-pool lanes here was unfair to some motorists.

Despite the findings, 24-hour operation “may be appropriate,” according to the report, because of suburban sprawl, the widespread development of decentralized business and research parks, the growing number of shopping centers, and because Orange County residents use their cars frequently during the day and after work to run errands.

Also, the report showed that the violation rate for 24-hour car-pool lane facilities is about 7.8%, compared to 23% for lanes that switch from car-pool use to regular use after rush hours.

The report, which will be discussed at Monday’s Transportation Commission meeting, recommends that transportation officials from Southern California develop regional operating standards for car-pool lanes, a suggestion welcomed by Commission Executive Director Stanley T. Oftelie and Joe El-Harake, Caltrans’ director of car-pool lane operations in Orange County.