Should Car Pool Lanes Require Three-to-a-Car?

Jarrett Walker of Human Transit writes that car-pool rules need to be updated to effectively deal with congestion on the country's highways.

1 minute read

April 7, 2011, 7:00 AM PDT

By Victor Negrete

Walker cites former Washington State Secretary of Transportation Douglas MacDonald on the beginnings of carpool lanes in Washington:

"Everyone involved at the time believed that later the rule would have to be, and could be, changed to three-to-a-car. Everyone was entirely up-front about this expectation. The trigger would be the growth of traffic in the carpool lanes to the point where access would have to be cut back so that they would still work. Didn't happen. Good luck today with that ticking time bomb for a political revolt."

"If your toll lane is still congested, you're not doing (de)congestion pricing, and your results say nothing about whether it's a good idea," writes Walker.

FULL STORY: Are Toll Lanes "Congestion Pricing"?

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 in Human Transit

Government / Politics Infrastructure Transportation United States Congestion Pricing; Car Pool Lanes; Toll Roads; Highway Legislation

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.