Carson City, Nev. – Today, Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) Director Kristina Swallow announced modified high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) hours of operation as part of a pilot program based on preliminary data from a multi-year study in Southern Nevada.  The modified HOV hours will change from 24/7 operation to 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, beginning Monday, October 24, and will be evaluated over a period of 18 months. 

Preliminary data collected from the HOV study has confirmed that traffic volumes on I-15 increase rapidly at around 5 a.m. every day of the week and stay consistently high until dissipating between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. each evening.  Accordingly, NDOT’s team of subject-matter experts determined that this data support changing the HOV hours of operation to permit single-occupant vehicles from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., seven days per week. 

The multi-year HOV study utilizes data on traffic volumes, speeds, and HOV violation rates from RTC FAST, NDOT traffic counters, third-party data collection, and new sensors at 15 locations monitored by a third party.  Over the next 18 months, the study team will continue to review the pilot hours of operation and evaluate the collected data, as well as crash rates, to determine if an adjustment to the hours, including potentially reverting back to 24/7 operation, is warranted.  Once the evaluation is complete, the team will provide final recommendations on permanent hours of operation. 

“The pilot hours of operation are one way NDOT has worked hard to listen to the public and find ways to improve the HOV lanes in Southern Nevada,” said NDOT Director Kristina Swallow, “These modified hours are based on data collected from cutting-edge traffic system technology, and we look forward to evaluating the effectiveness of this pilot over the next 18 months.” 

HOV lanes are dedicated highway lanes that are used exclusively by vehicles with two or more occupants as well as motorcycles. There are over 20 miles of continuous HOV lanes in Las Vegas on U.S. 95 from the Elk Horn direct connector ramps to the Spaghetti Bowl where a direct connect ramp connects U.S. 95 to I-15 and continues on I-15 from the Spaghetti Bowl to Silverado Ranch Boulevard.  

HOV lanes can reduce peak-period travel time compared to general-purpose lanes and can move substantially more commuters than general-purpose lanes. HOV lane users experience less congestion, arriving at their destinations more quickly than those who do not carpool. It also costs less to ride a bus or to share a ride than to drive alone every day. Other benefits include a more reliable commute and less stress. The community also benefits. HOV lanes provide a better use of infrastructure and can serve more people than general-purpose lanes.  For more information, visit www.dot.nv.gov/hov.