Las Vegas, NV (AP) – After most everyone who was in favor of the idea realized that it didn’t turn out as well as planned, the hours of carpool lanes in the Las Vegas Valley are being reduced.
The Nevada Department of Transportation voted Monday to cut back the hours for lanes dedicated as “high occupancy vehicle” lanes to between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and to open the lanes to all on weekends.
There’s no set date yet for when the new rules will take effect, but will be implemented within the next 30 days.
Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony, a long-time opponent of HOV lanes for Southern Nevada, had requested the item be heard with the hope of eliminating the lanes completely. The board also voted to go ahead with an environmental study in a move to consider removing the lanes completely in the future.
Last year, state transportation officials began a pilot program that reduced the 24/7 nature of the lanes and opened the carpool lanes to all motorists between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The new morning and evening rush-hour time frames will be reviewed as part of the study tied to the pilot program.