A DESCRIPTION OF HIGH-OCCUPANCY VEHICLE FACILITIES IN NORTH AMERICA

Abstract

This report presents a description of existing high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) facilities in operation either on freeways or in separate rights-of-way in North America. Up-to-date information is provided on the design, operations, enforcement characteristics, and current utilization rates for 40 HOV facilities in 20 metropolitan areas. The report includes general descriptions of each facility, maps showing the location of each facility, representative cross-sections and a series of tables containing detailed information on each project. Over the last 20 years a variety of priority measures for HOVs have been implemented throughout North America. While often differing in design and operation, HOV facilities are intended to help maximize the person-carrying capacity of the roadway. This is done by altering the design and/or the operation of the facility in order to provide priority treatment for HOVs. HOVs are defined as buses, vanpools, and carpools. A primary concept behind these priority facilities is to provide HOVs with both travel time savings and more predictable travel times. These two benefits serve as incentives for individuals to choose a higher occupancy mode. This in turn, can increase the person-movement capacity of the roadway by carrying more people in fewer vehicles.

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