NY State on HOV Lanes: "Don't Confuse Us with the Facts!"

Expanding highways to add HOV lanes is exactly the same as expanding them to add general purpose lanes: the result is more pavement and more car trips. New Jersey's decision in October to abandon High Occupancy Vehicle lanes (HOV) and convert them to general highway use has created questions about the future of the elaborate HOV network planned for Long Island. HOV fans have nothing to fear. Despite opposition from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and other environmental groups, the State Department of Transportation is pressing ahead with plans to build 20 miles of additional HOV lanes in Queens and Suffolk County.

In a December 10 letter to State Assembly Member David Sidikman and copied to Transportation Alternatives, the State DOT claims that the existing HOV lanes on Long Island are "environmentally beneficial" because "As carpooling increases, the number of vehicles used decreases. Since fewer cars equal less congestion and air pollution, all Long Islanders benefit." But guess what? It is not true. The SDOT's own statistics show traffic on the general purpose lanes jumped 12% from 1995 to 1998. This is in addition to increases of 18%-25% in the HOV lanes. Elsewhere, it has been repeatedly shown that HOV lanes take cars or buses carrying two or more people out of the general travel lanes. The "new" space in those lanes is then quickly filled by single occupant vehicles. Now it has been shown again.

Contact Governor Pataki and let him know that real environmentalists oppose HOV lanes and other highway widenings.

Send your letter to:

George Pataki
Executive Chamber
Albany, NY  12224

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