HO/T lane opening announced. Free for two weeks.

GW Ride connect passed along an e-mail also. My concern is that there will be a bigger bottleneck at 610 with people trying to get on to 95 N and then trying to get over to get on to the HOT lanes and subsequently at 95 S with people trying to get off the HOT and get onto the regular 95 lanes. Well we will see next week. Hopefully there won't be accidents as there were when the express lanes opened on 495.

Here's another link: https://governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/newsarticle?articleId=7446

Excerpt: "Between Dec. 14 and Dec. 29, existing rules will remain in effect during rush hours requiring three or more occupants for a vehicle to use the express lanes for free."

I noticed this morning that all of then entrances I passed read, HOV-3 Only 6-9AM this morning even though it's supposed to be open to all without tolls starting yesterday until the 29th. I had assumed by what I've heard in news reports that there would not be HOV restrictions in the Express lanes, but that must be incorrect.

They have already proven to be not worth the hype. The backup has simply moved 9 miles South. Yesterday afternoon at 4:15 there was a 1 1/4 mile back up at 610 to get off the HOT lanes (we stopped under the overhead sign that reads 'lanes end in 1 1/4 miles'). The congestion on 95 N in the morning at 610 has become worse as the week has gone on. When I got a ride at 5:30 am this morning things were so congested the driver decided to not get on 95 N until Triangle and subsequently the HOV lanes at the old entrance so I can't really see that things have improved all that much. Granted Monday-Wednesday the trip was better,however, my concern is if things are like this now, what's going to happen when it's open to people willing to pay a toll. Someone was commenting as he got his Ez-Pass last week at Giant that he would rather pay the tolls than pick up anyone, it would be worth the money to save time. It was quicker because fewer people chose to follow the HOV 'rules' and therefore the others could not get on, without risking a fine, but now that it is going to be open to anyone willing to pay it is going to defeat the purpose of carpooling because those who do have 3 people in the car won't have the 'privilege' of getting home faster.