HOV Compliance

Average auto occupancy gives a rough measure of motorist compliance with HOV restrictions because most vehicles entered into the calculation as single-occupancy vehicles are HOV violators. The exceptions are motorcycles, clean fuel vehicles that may use the HOV lanes regardless of occupancy, official vehicles such as law enforcement vehicles, and any vehicle on I-66 between the Rosslyn tunnel and the Dulles Connector Road traveling to and from Dulles Airport. 

Figure 43 shows the average auto occupancy rates on the major HOV corridors in Northern Virginia during the morning and evening rush hours. Occupancy rates for all facilities in the A.M. peak periods are below the minimum occupancy required to use the facility, indicating the existence of some violators. Evening occupancy rates are higher on I-95/I-395. The barrier separated HOV lanes on I-95/I-395 have lower violation rates than diamond-marked concurrent flow lanes such as those on I-66 outside the Beltway and on the Dulles Toll Road. Compliance on I-66 inside the Beltway is actually higher than suggested by the average auto occupancies shown as Figure 43 reflects single-occupancy airport bound travelers who are traveling legally.  Furthermore, violation rates are lower during the majority of the HOV period because many of the violations happen during the first and last half-hour of the restricted period.

Judged by the performance levels maintained by these HOV lanes, compliance is generally strong and is helped by the level of fines, which range from $50 for the first violation to $500 by the fourth violation, not including court costs.

Figure 43:  Observed Average Persons Per Automobile in

HOV Lanes During HOV-Restricted Periods

 

 

In-Bound A.M. Peak Period

Out-Bound P.M. Peak Period

Facility

 

Year

 

Year

 

 

1997

1998

1999

 

1997

1998

1999

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOV-3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I-395 north of Glebe Road

 

2.7

2.6

2.9

 

3.1

3.1

3.2

I-95 north of Fairfax County Parkway

 

2.6

2.8

2.8

 

2.9

2.7

3.0

HOV-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I-66 east of I-495

 

1.8

1.8

1.8

 

1.8

1.8

1.9

I-66 west of I-495

 

2.0

1.7

1.9

 

2.0

2.0

1.9

Dulles Toll Road west of Leesburg Pike

 

n/a

n/a

1.8

 

n/a

n/a

1.8

Source:    1999 Performance of Regional High-Occupancy Vehicle Facilities on Freeways in the Washington Region: An Analysis of Person and Vehicle Volumes and Travel Times. National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (October 6, 2000).