Rethinking lanes

Re “Easy access to carpool lanes would promote efficiency, drivers say,” July 24

As a native Northern Californian, I have always been baffled by the reasoning for the limited-access carpool lanes in Los Angeles.

It traps people behind slow-moving vehicles or when the carpool lane stops and other lanes continue (something I’ve experienced far too often), and more important, causes unsafe lane changes when you are only allowed to leave the carpool lane a few hundred feet before your exit.

A study should be done for Los Angeles County as well, hopefully with the result of removing these lane entry restrictions.

Barbara Alfors

Santa Monica

Restricting carpool lanes to peak traffic periods only -- which is common in other parts of California -- makes much more sense than the current scheme with full-time lane restrictions.

Orange County is wise to consider such action, as it would facilitate traffic flow and safety. Los Angeles County would be wise to follow suit.

Currently during off-peak times, traffic often moves slower in the carpool lanes than the other lanes.

Rather than allowing slower drivers to move across all lanes to get to the carpool lanes, the left lanes should be for faster traffic only, especially during off-peak hours.

This measure must include re-posting the signs taken down by Caltrans years ago when the carpool lanes were created, which stated: Slower traffic keep right.

David J. Abdo

Los Angeles