BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – You read that right - San Antonio drivers in high-occupancy vehicles will be able to bypass traffic on sections of Interstate 10 starting this fall and on Highway 281 in Stone Oak in 2021.
An HOV lane will open in the coming months on I-10 W between La Cantera Parkway and FM 3351 (Ralph Fair Road), according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
A press release sent from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) states that an HOV lane is also scheduled to open in 2021 on Highway 281 from Loop 1604 to north of Stone Oak Parkway. That HOV lane will be extended by 2023 from north of Stone Oak Parkway to Borgfeld Road, the release states.
The stretch of HOV lane on I-10 W will be five miles, phase one of the Highway 281 HOV lanes will be three miles and phase two on Highway 281 will be six miles.
HOV lanes are designated lanes along a highway that are reserved for the following vehicles:
- Vehicles carrying 2 or more people
- Buses
- Motorcycles
- VIA and marked vehicles
Trailer towing is prohibited in HOV lanes.
All the HOV lanes in Bexar County will be free to use 24 hours a day, seven days a week for permitted vehicles.
“HOV lanes are the next step in VIA’s longtime collaboration with TxDOT and local leaders to address current and future congestion on our roadways with safe, convenient options,” said VIA president Jeffrey Arndt. “Dedicated lanes for VIA buses and multi-passenger vehicles allow us to move more people, faster, cut down on congestion and prepare for future growth in San Antonio and Bexar County.”
The goal of the HOV lanes is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and help cut down exhausted emissions in the environment, according to VIA officials.
“The opening of HOV lanes is a culmination of several years of community engagement, planning and construction,” said TxDOT San Antonio district engineer Mario Jorge.
These projects were funded through TxDOT and other local partnerships including VIA and the Advanced Transportation District, according to a press release from VIA officials.
TXDOT will build the HOV lanes and VIA will manage them. The HOV regulations will be enforced by San Antonio Police Department.
Exact dates for the opening of the HOV lanes were not provided by VIA.