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Sep

14

The Super Expensive HOV Debacle Strikes Again

September 14, 2005 |

After killing six people in 1995, the 279 HOV lanes continues to amaze with its track record.

Most cities looking for HOV type lanes simply build out an extra lane or two on the highway going each direction, and paint HOV diamonds on those lanes, and then post numerous signs along the road noting to all that those lanes are to be used by only cars with the minimum occupancy requirement during certain hours — usually the a.m. and p.m. rush hours, although sometimes during the work day.

Not in Western PA, though. Planners for 279 North, under pressure of the green lobby and political construction interests decided to make the HOV lane its own entity of two lanes going inbound in the a.m., and both outbound in the P.M. Because of this, they require complicated gates on entrance ways to prevent traffic from entering going the wrong direction during the wrong time of the day.

Originally those gates were hand operated… at least until it became deadly clear that the PennnDOT employees paid to open and close them during the day were incapable of handling such a menial task. After a few harmless incidents, a coked up PennDOT employee didn’t adjust the gates as required, and as a result, a van collided head on with a car, killing six people in a fiery crash. After this, PennDOT installed expensive automated gates with timers. However, use dropped by the thousands each day and has yet to recover.

Well, again the system came to cause problems, albeit comparatively minor ones, this pas weekend after the Steelers game. Apparently Duquesne light was unable to complete electrical work in time for the end of the game, and the HOV lane could not be opened since required one way directional lights and so forth would not be operational.

For years, locals have complained about the HOVs and suggested that the barriers moved to the middle to allow for two extra lanes of traffic each direction. However, that would require millions of dollars since road workers would have to rip up storm drainage systems and re-grade the entire middle section for that to work.

Another victory for urban planning.


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