Northern Virginia HOV Schedule this Memorial Day Weekend

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, HOV restrictions on Interstates 66, 95 and 395 will be lifted on Monday, May 30.

Northbound/Southbound Schedule for the I-95/395 Reversible Lanes
Lanes will be southbound from 1 p.m., Friday, May 27, until 2 p.m. Saturday, May 28; and northbound from 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28, through the rest of the holiday weekend.

Closure for Rolling Thunder
The I-95/395 HOV lanes will be closed to regular traffic from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 29, for the annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally.

More information on Northern Virginia HOV schedules can be found online.

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HOV Hybrid Law Extended, But Hybrids on I-66 Capped

Drivers of hybrid vehicles with the required clean fuel license plates will continue to be able to use the Interstate 95, 395, 66 and Dulles Toll Road High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes until June 30, 2012, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. However, come July 1, 2011, there is an important change on I-66.

The new law states that only hybrid vehicles with clean fuel plates issued prior to July 1, 2011 will be permitted to use the I-66 HOV lanes during rush hours. Police will ticket any hybrid vehicle that does not have a clean fuel plate issued before July 1, 2011.

A similar law took effect on I-95 and I-395 five years ago – only hybrids with clean fuel plates issued before July 1, 2006 are permitted to use the I-95/395 HOV lanes during rush hours.

Beginning July 1, 2011, the Department of Motor Vehicles will issue a clean fuel license plate with a different design so that police can easily spot violators in the HOV lanes.

Delegate Thomas A. “Tag” Greason sponsored the one-year extension which was approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor McDonnell last month.

In order for a hybrid vehicle to use Virginia’s HOV lanes during the morning and afternoon rush hours, the vehicle must have a clean special fuel plate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Not all hybrids qualify for clean fuel license plates, motorists should check the DMV Web site, www.dmvnow.com for an updated list of eligible hybrids.

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HOV Violators to be Targeted During Tomorrow Morning's Commute

According to InsideNova.com, Virginia State Police will be patrolling during tomorrow morning's (Wednesday) rush hour looking for drivers violating High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) restrictions on Interstates 95 and 395.

The article reports that "Officers will be on the look out for violators — single drivers who use the express lanes — from Dumfries to the Pentagon between 6 and 9 a.m. Troopers will also patrol for drivers who wait on highway shoulders for the HOV restrictions to be lifted at 9 a.m.

"In 2009, police in Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington counties and the City of Alexandria have issued 15,077 HOV violations. That number is up by more than 1,600 more over all last year, according to state police."

HOV lanes are restricted to cars and buses with three or more passengers in them, from 6 to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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