Media Relations Contact:
Morgan Lyons

April 4, 2005

Starting Tuesday, April 5

I-35E/U.S. 67 HOV lane open longer

Responding to growing customer demand, the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on I-35E and U.S. 67 south of downtown Dallas to Loop 12 will be open one hour longer during morning and evening rush hours starting Tuesday, April 5.

With the extended hours it will serve northbound commuters during morning rush hours from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and southbound travelers during afternoon rush hours from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

From the south, eligible commuters (motorcycles or vehicles with at least two occupants) enter the northbound HOV lane at Camp Wisdom Road and at Loop 12 and exit at Loop 12 or Jefferson Street to get to downtown Dallas. Commuters going southbound from downtown can enter the lanes at Houston Street, at Loop 12, or from southbound I-35E near downtown; and can exit at I-35E, Loop 12 or Camp Wisdom Road.

The southern section from Camp Wisdom Road to Loop 12 includes concurrent flow lanes operating 24 hours a day. From Polk Street, north into downtown Dallas, it becomes a barrier-separated, reversible lane that is adjusted to the flow of traffic.

DART's 31-mile HOV system handles more than 105,000 commuter trips daily. This section of the HOV network serves around 19,000 commuters daily. Other HOV lanes include East R. L. Thornton (I-30) Freeway between downtown Dallas and Jim Miller Road, I-635 LBJ Freeway between US 75 and I-35E, and I-35E between I-635 LBJ Freeway and Trinity Mills Road. Plans are in the works for the expansion of the I-30 and LBJ HOV lanes. Future HOV lanes are planned for I-35E between I-635 and Spur 408 and on SH 114 between SH 183 and SH 121. Other freeways slated for HOV development include US 75 and I-635 LBJ Freeway.

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