Those driving alone could use car pool lane – for a fee
by The Associated Press on Feb. 27, 2007, under Local, SpecialSome motorists who regularly use Phoenix-area car pool lanes don’t like proposals that would allow people to pay to use them when they’re driving alone.
Two proposals that would convert existing car pool lanes into toll lanes are making their way through the Legislature.
The toll would be charged to drivers alone in their cars who don’t meet the lane minimum requirement of at least two occupants. Those in car pools could continue to use the lane for free.
The actual costs for Arizona drivers remain unknown. A review of similar programs in California and Texas, shows the costs of High Occupancy/Toll, or HOT, lanes can add up quickly.
For example, it costs commuters in Orange County, Calif., $9 to drive a 10-mile stretch of road during peak rush hours.
