More gridlock expected next week as changes to HOV lane rules kick in

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state Transportation Department is warning drivers on Oahu that traffic will likely be worse starting Wednesday.

That’s when a federal code [23 USC 166(B)(4)] expires, and states are no longer allowed to let single-occupant electric vehicles use the carpool lane.

There are 26,400 EVs on Oahu, and many of those will now be forced into the already congested regular lanes.

The morning commute will be impacted the most, because there are more carpool options during that time, including the Zipper Lane.

Oahu has 28.2 total miles of HOV designated pavement. The neighbor islands have contraflow lanes, but those do not have occupancy restrictions.

Since 2005, electric vehicles have been allowed into the carpool lanes regardless of the number of occupants.

“That federal law that allows it sunsets the end of September,” said state transportation director Ed Sniffen.

“If I allow it, we will have to pay the federal government back for the system that we have,” Sniffen said that would cost millions.

Rocky Mould, executive director of the Hawaii Solar Energy Association, said the change will be frustrating for those already fed up with traffic congestion.

“Having more EVs in the regular lanes is going to cause more traffic,” he said.

Some have called for HOV lanes to be removed outright so everyone can use it, but Sniffen said that would be too expensive.

“We can’t,” Sniffen said, “That’s part of the federal requirements, so if we get rid of the HOV lanes or we change the HOV mix, that doesn’t follow federal law. There’s a potential we lose funding, or we’ve got to pay back some of the funding that we use on the system that we have.”

Sniffen said Hawaii receives $224 million from the federal government annually.

Mould said, “I think HOV lanes have a clear public purpose, and we should try to be promoting people to use those HOV lanes in the ways we want people to commute.”

Sniffen said the exemption will remain on the books so if the federal government reverses course later, the perk will return.