I came across this live traffic report on KIRO 7 Seattle the other morning. What stuck out besides the brutal traffic congestion and commuting times was the traffic reporters advice to avoid it. See if you can pick it out in the video below:
What she is referring to are the Interstate 405 express toll lanes between Bellevue and Lynnwood which bypass Seattle on the region’s suburban Eastside. Hotlanes as they are sometimes referred to are designated HOV or Express lanes rate adjusted depending on traffic congestion, the worst the traffic the more the single occupancy driver is charged for the right to use them. The charges are levied via a transponder in the drivers car.
Could we use these “Hot Lanes” on our roadways? More on the 405 express lanes and others in the Puget Sound region from the Washington State Department of Transportation website here.
