 the offical newsletter of DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT - Summer 2007 |
|
eelam@DART.org
DART's growing network of HOV lanes gives ride-sharing road warriors the edge in the battle against congestion and pollution.
They're the unsung heroes of the North Texas transit scene – commuters who load up in carpools, vanpools and buses to zip past traffic in high occupancy vehicle lanes. Their numbers are legion, their impact on congestion and pollution is great, and their options are growing as DART more than doubles its HOV lane network to 81 miles.
In 2006, motorists made more than 36.1 million trips on the 31-mile network of HOV lanes. They saved money by sharing expenses and reducing wear and tear on their vehicles. They also saved time by cruising past freeway clogs. Most important for the region, they reduced the number of vehicles on our roadways, which helps reduce harmful emissions.
   Construction crews put the finishing touches on 50 miles of new HOV lanes, more than doubling the North Texas network and bringing traffic relief to ride-sharing motorists. |
It's estimated that more than 55% of North Texas' air pollution comes from vehicle emissions, but research indicates that HOV lanes can help reduce the impact. A just-released study of Southern California HOV lanes by the Transportation Research Board found that implementation of HOV lanes lowers emission rates by 10-70% depending on utilization – when compared to freeway corridors with just main lanes.
"In terms of the Environmental Protection Agency's air-quality standards, our region is in the 'severe' non-attainment category, and the clock is ticking," says Koorosh Olyai, DART's assistant vice president of Mobility Programs Development. "The region must comply with federal air-quality improvement requirements soon or risk very real sanctions such as withdrawal of federal funds for transportation."
DART is doing its part to help the region comply, with a 50-mile HOV lane expansion. The first portion opened July 31 with additional lanes set to open throughout the fall. The new lanes add to the 31 miles the agency already operates and maintains: I-30 east from downtown Dallas to Jim Miller Road; I-35E south from downtown Dallas to U.S. 67; U.S. 67 south from I-35E to Camp Wisdom Road; I-635 (LBJ Freeway) from U.S. 75 (Central Expressway) to Luna Road; and I-35E north from LBJ Freeway to Frankford Road.
The new HOV lanes include:
- • I-30 West (Tom Landry Freeway, or the old Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike). This is the first HOV lane between Dallas and Fort Worth, and it's opening in several phases. The first six-mile section opened July 31 between the Dallas/Tarrant County line and Loop 12. In 2008, the lanes will become North Texas' first managed HOV facility allowing access to single-occupant vehicles for a fee.
- • I-30, from Jim Miller Road to East of I-635 (LBJ Freeway). Thanks to this six-mile extension, I-30 will soon feature HOV lanes all the way from downtown Dallas, past LBJ Freeway, to Northwest Drive in Mesquite. Two more Barrier Transfer Vehicles (BTVs) or "zipper machines" – like the ones used on the current I-30 HOV lane – have been purchased to help with the expanded operation.
- • U.S. 75 (Central Expressway), from I-635 (LBJ Freeway) to Exchange Parkway in Allen. The HOV lane will extend 14 miles northward and features a direct "connector" between the HOV lane on LBJ Freeway and the new Central Expessway HOV lanes, enabling motorists to transfer easily from one to the other. The top level of the "High Five" interchange is dedicated to HOV lane usage only.
- • I-635 (LBJ Freeway), from U.S. 75 (Central Expressway) to I-30. Opening in the fall, this 14-mile extension will roughly double the length of HOV lanes in the LBJ corridor, one of the nation's busiest freeways.
Return to the Inmotion front page