Virginia Riders, What Do You Love About The I-95 HOV

[motor10]

My favorite part of using the HOV is that I don't have to pay an exorbitant amount of money, to a private company no less, to ride a road that I already pay taxes for. I also like that I don't have to deal with tractor trailers buffeting the hell out of me. By the way, on this mornings ride in the 395 HOVs were a bigger mess than usual. The dust was so thick in a few locations that it was like driving through heavy smoke. I cant wait for them to finish that mess as the road surface is terrible.

Jay

[mlytle]

not much to love about riding on a long straight slab in traffic....

better question might be what do you hate about riding in normal lanes that the HOT lanes avoid...tolls, traffic, lower speed limit.

[skibum69]

If you're on I 95 it's only 3 turns to my house

drive north to Bangor-turn right
drive straight to ferry
take ferry across drive straight
At Whitbourne-turn left
drive straight to Heart's Content-turn left
drive 30 km's to my house

[akbeemer]

There is not a single HOV lane in Montana, thank goodness.

[motor10]

Well, unfortunately I have been making that commute from Spotsylvania to DC since 1994. I am stuck for a while having to making that commute, so I am trying the find the positive.


Jay

[akbeemer]

Well, unfortunately I have been making that commute from Spotsylvania to DC since 1994. I am stuck for a while having to making that commute, so I am trying the find the positive.


Jay

And it is good that you are trying to see the positive. I was stationed in Hampton (grew up in VA Beach) and had to visit the Pentagon several times a year. I often got a helicopter but when I had to drive it was a painful experience.

[motor10]

And it is good that you are trying to see the positive. I was stationed in Hampton (grew up in VA Beach) and had to visit the Pentagon several times a year. I often got a helicopter but when I had to drive it was a painful experience.

It is a painful experience. If I were not to use the HOV lanes in my car, my commute home is at least an hour or more longer then the hour and a half it is when I use the HOV lanes. I hate the fact that the State of Virginia hired a private company to build the HOV extension and allowed then to keep all revenue for the next seven years after completion. The company is also allowed to charge what they want to ride the HOV as long as the HOV lanes continue to move at at least 55mph. On numerous occasions I have driven the HOV home in the evening with HOV fees of over $28.00 one way. It made me sick.

So, I decided to sell my KLR-650 (not suited for commuting) in order to purchase a 2018 R1200RT and commute on the HOV for free. Before purchasing, I decided to try a little research. I took the HOV lanes in and out of work for one month. My intention was to see how much it would cost to drive everyday, Monday through Friday, to and from work, to see what I could be saving after purchasing my new RT. I drove my car on the HOV every weekday in the month of May and my work hours were either 5am to 1pm or 5am to 5pm. To my astonishment my EZPass bill was over $800.00 for the month of May. Even my wife was on board with the new bike idea when she saw the math. So, every day that I ride my RT up and down that HOV and don't have to pay a penny is a win day for me.

Jay

[jandhumphreyme]

It is a painful experience. If I were not to use the HOV lanes in my car, my commute home is at least an hour or more longer then the hour and a half it is when I use the HOV lanes. I hate the fact that the State of Virginia hired a private company to build the HOV extension and allowed then to keep all revenue for the next seven years after completion. The company is also allowed to charge what they want to ride the HOV as long as the HOV lanes continue to move at at least 55mph. On numerous occasions I have driven the HOV home in the evening with HOV fees of over $28.00 one way. It made me sick.

Those types of contracts are PPP (public private partnerships). They allow states or feds to get infrastructure projects built when they don't have the money by allowing the private entity to recoup their investment through fixed term usage fees. The duration of the fees are typically a lot shorter duration than a bond repayment, and does not require the public to pay higher tax rates as users pay the fees.These jobs are design build, so that coupled with recoup of investment can bring some innovative designs and construction methods lowering costs also great incentive for overall budget control.

When done correctly they can be very beneficial, but anytime you get politicians and bureaucrats involved, it's a crap shoot if "correctly" will enter into the equation.

[saddleman]

It is a painful experience. If I were not to use the HOV lanes in my car, my commute home is at least an hour or more longer then the hour and a half it is when I use the HOV lanes. I hate the fact that the State of Virginia hired a private company to build the HOV extension and allowed then to keep all revenue for the next seven years after completion. The company is also allowed to charge what they want to ride the HOV as long as the HOV lanes continue to move at at least 55mph. On numerous occasions I have driven the HOV home in the evening with HOV fees of over $28.00 one way. It made me sick.

So, I decided to sell my KLR-650 (not suited for commuting) in order to purchase a 2018 R1200RT and commute on the HOV for free. Before purchasing, I decided to try a little research. I took the HOV lanes in and out of work for one month. My intention was to see how much it would cost to drive everyday, Monday through Friday, to and from work, to see what I could be saving after purchasing my new RT. I drove my car on the HOV every weekday in the month of May and my work hours were either 5am to 1pm or 5am to 5pm. To my astonishment my EZPass bill was over $800.00 for the month of May. Even my wife was on board with the new bike idea when she saw the math. So, every day that I ride my RT up and down that HOV and don't have to pay a penny is a win day for me.

Jay

It sounds to me like you are talking about a HOT lane instead of a HOV lane. The HOT lanes just opened here in Charlotte NC & it is free on a motorcycle. It saves me at least 20 minutes each way.

[mlytle]

It sounds to me like you are talking about a HOT lane instead of a HOV lane. The HOT lanes just opened here in Charlotte NC & it is free on a motorcycle. It saves me at least 20 minutes each way.

Correct. 95 South of DC has HOT, not HOV, lanes.

[motor10]

Correct. 95 South of DC has HOT, not HOV, lanes.

All the commuters I know still call them HOV lanes as that’s what they were called for the previous 25 years that I drove them and before they became HOT lanes about 4 years ago.

[roostershooter]

HOV = High occupancy vehicle. HOT =

[saddleman]

HOV = High occupancy vehicle. HOT =

HOT = High Occupancy Toll

[roostershooter]

[PGlaves]

HOV = High occupancy vehicle. HOT =

Rent-a-Road