Houston QuickRide Program

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Houston QuickRide Program
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Katy Freeway (I-10)

• 212,000 vpd
• 6 to 10 mainlanes
• 4 to 6 frontage road lanes
• 1 reversible, barrier separated, HOT lane

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Northwest Freeway (US 290)

• 245,000 vpd
• 6 to 10 mainlanes
• 4 to 6 frontage road lanes

• 1 reversible, barrier separated, HOT lane

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http//traffic.tamu.edu/hist/histmain.html
US 290
KATY (I-10)
Downtown Houston
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http//traffic.tamu.edu
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http//traffic.tamu.edu/hist/histmain.html
US 290
KATY (I-10)
Downtown Houston
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Houston QuickRide Program

• Katy Freeway (I-10) HOV lane opened in 1984
• Initially allowed buses and vanpools only
• By 1986 users expanded to HOV 2
• Occupancy raised to 3 in the morning peak (645
  to 800 a.m.) in 1988 due to congestion
• Afternoon peak (500 to 600 p.m.) followed
• Then the morning period on US 290

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Houston QuickRide Program

• The 3 restriction lead to HOV lane being
  underutilized during peak hours
• The empty lane syndrome

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Houston QuickRide Program

• Allows 2-person carpools to use HOV lane during
  peak hours for a 2 toll
• Known as a High Occupancy/Toll lane or HOT lane
• January 1998 Houston QuickRide Program
  implemented on Katy
• November 2000 began on US 290