Carpool lanes to be enforced on I-75 in Oakland County
(CBS DETROIT) - The Michigan Department of Transportation got the go-ahead to move forward with high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill this week.
Now that House Bill 4353 is in law, it allows MDOT to designate carpool lanes on a stretch of Interstate 75 between Eight Mile Road and South Boulevard.
That stretch of I-75 has been under construction to widen the highway, and now MDOT is ready to roll out the newly installed HOV lanes.
"We are going to start work next Monday morning. We're going to have our contractor on site Monday morning, we are going to start removing the existing pavement markings so they can place permanent pavement markings, and the HOV lane will be marked with a diamond symbol," said Mark Dubay, MDOT project manager of Modernize 75.
"So the HOV lane will have a diamond symbol to designate the HOV eligibility," Dubay said.
Dubay said the goal of the project is to reduce traffic jams and lower pollution.
"These will help promote carpooling, ride-sharing, reduction of vehicles. There is also an environmental impact," Dubay said.
The HOV lanes will be open Monday through Friday during rush hour. At that time, drivers will be required to travel with two or more occupants in the left lanes in both directions.
Carpool parking lots have already been constructed along I-75. Enforcement is expected to begin at the end of the month.
All the information drivers need can be found at www.modernize75.com.
Once enforcement begins, drivers can be ticketed if they're not following the rules.
"And it would be similar to if you got pulled over for speeding. It will be a civil infraction."
Fines are capped at $100.
Motorcycles with one person on them, commercial transit vehicles, and emergency responders are exempt from the new HOV rules.