Anyone who has driven in D.C., San Francisco or Toronto might be familiar with the concept of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, which reserve specific travel lanes for cars -- and buses -- with multiple riders to reduce congestion.
Michigan is set to get its first HOV lane this Friday along Michigan Ave. between Wyoming and the Lodge Freeway. The lanes adjacent to the parking lanes will be reserved for HOVs on weekdays, eastbound between 6 and 9 a.m. and westbound between 3 and 6 p.m.
The introduction of the HOV lanes ties in with the closure of a significant portion of I-75 for the
Gateway Project, which will be a headache for thousands of Metro Detroiters. In anticipation of commuter confusion, DDOT and SMART are debuting a new bus line called the Gateway Express that will connect downriver to downtown during construction.
Both projects will premier on Feb. 15 with a press conference and ribbon cutting at 9:30 a.m. at O’Blivion’s Corktown Café, 1824 Michigan Avenue. The event consists of a continental breakfast and a preview bus ride. RSVP to to Denise Brazer at 248-483-5107 by Feb. 12.
Source:
Transportation Riders United, MDOT
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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