State will consider carpool lane changes

Associated Press

OLYMPIA — Washington may soon open Puget Sound area carpool lanes to all traffic on weekends and at night.

The state Transportation Commission on Thursday agreed to consider the change on I-5, I-90, I-405, Highway 167 and Highway 520. The lanes are now reserved 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for cars carrying two or more riders, vanpools, motorcycles and buses.

"It’s clear that many people want to see more flexibility in how we operate the HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes, so we are taking a look at it," said Transportation Secretary Doug MacDonald.

He said early findings indicate that the lanes could be opened to all passenger vehicles on weekends and some nighttime hours. The agency will study safety, freeway traffic flow, environmental impact, public attitudes, impact on mass transit and carpooling, legal obligations and financial impact.

If the commission authorizes the change, possibly as early as next month, the switch couldn’t happen right away. The state would have to get federal approval, since the lanes were largely built with federal dollars, new signs would have to be erected and any operational or safety concerns would have to be addressed.

Copyright ©2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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