U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye is hoping to persuade Congress to revive Virginia's proposal to let members of the military drive in HOV lanes in Hampton Roads when they're traveling alone.
Earlier this year, the General Assembly approved legislation to allow active-duty service members in uniform to drive alone in high-occupancy-vehicle lanes to and from military facilities during hours when HOV lanes are restricted to vehicles with two or more occupants.
However, the Federal Highway Administration rejected that request last month. The agency oversees the use of HOV lanes in Hampton Roads along Interstates 264 and 64 because federal money was used to build them.
Nye introduce a bill Tuesday that would give each state the option of removing HOV restrictions for members of the military, law enforcement officials and emergency response personnel.
Nye said in a prepared statement that the change would help traffic flow.
"Traffic congestion is a serious problem in Hampton Roads, and our HOV lanes are often under-utilized," said the Virginia Beach Democrat. "This legislation will help ease traffic for everyone in the region, and make sure our military and emergency response personnel get where they need to go."
If approved, the bill, called the Military Personnel Readiness Act of 2010, also calls for a federal study to determine the effect on military readiness of traffic congestion in Hampton Roads and other areas.
Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com
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ALL FOR IT!!!
I can't believe what I am reading. Hampton Roads has the worst traffic and A LOT of that traffic is military. This is not a perk for the military, this is something that would get our military, the men and women who protect YOUR freedom everyday, to work on time to do their duty. Have you forgotten how many ships are at Norfolk, the carriers by themselves have over 5000 people on them and how many carriers are there??? Military personnel do try hard to carpool, but with duty and underway schedules makes it difficult. Don't forget that there are not just military working on these base there are also civilian DOD workers. Yes, most of the military have to be at work by 7 am, but look at how many are having to be at work at the same time....carriers....5000 people!!! A WHOLE LOT!! You are all unpatriotic!!!!
Nye Following Yet Again: Already proposed by Cantor
Amazing, can Nye lead on anything? This is an exact same bill both Congressman Eric Cantor introduced months ago in the house and that Governor Bob McDonnell pushed in the General Assembly.
So, Nye just picks up someone else's bill and claims its original?
cantor? bob mcd?
Did they get it passed? No, huh? No leadership?
It's a rinky-dink issue with a great soundbite headline no matter which party promotes it.
All of them should work on more important issues.
HOV means what?
If I understand this- during certain times there are a lot of people going to the same place. The base for example, seems the base would benefit by having their troops car pool. Then it means less drivers (cars) off the road lessening congestion.
Instead lets promote more cars on the road! C'mon Mr Nye.
Correction
"Then it means less drivers (cars) off the road lessening congestion".
Should read "Then it means less drivers (cars) ON the road lessening congestion".
NOT GOOD
While I'm a Glenn Nye supporter, this initiative makes no sense considering we have so many (and much more) important issues to deal with. My recommendation to Congressman Nye focus on job creation, the war effort, eliminating wasteful spending, climate change legislation, cleaning up the bay, push the Gov to participate in the Race to the Top program, etc.
HOV works in DC, why not Hampton Roads
I lived in Hampton Roads 5-10 years ago on active duty, and since have moved to NoVA. What impresses me most about the DC area is that HOV lanes actually WORK! I slug to work, getting a free 30 mile ride, almost daily. Instead of giving the military HOV privleges, send some people north to look at the Slug Lines, and tell the troops about it. HR traffic sucks, but so did the bus service (seemed to be only for the unemployed), and other options(few to none). Start charging Sailors to park on base if they don't carpool, and watch the slug numbers soar.
No Way!
Well I do not think it would be a good idea for this and besides Virginia accepted the money for all the HOV lanes in the states from the Federal government under one condition which was to use them as HOV during rush hours.
From what I have seen is that most of the military is on base before 7am which is well before most of the regular rush hour begins, but then in the afternoon so many of the military leaving the naval station start to leave right after lunch and it is a constant flow of people from the base.
I do not think this would help the flow of traffic that much, but maybe shuttle buses from different parts of the area running every 10 minutes to the bases would help aleve the flow of traffic.
So many say that the military have different working hours that they could not car pool, but from the early morning traffic and then the traffic flow between 1pm to 4pm it seems that many of them do have similar working hours.
Pandering for votes
NO WAY all the traffic in the AM is base bound. This is just a backhanded way to kill the HOV concept. If they do it here they'll have to do it in DC, San Diego and so on.
Excellent!
This initiative is indeed necessary to resolve several issues perplexing the region. Unfortunately, Mr. Bartel has wrongly headlined it as a "perk". The intent of the action is a resolution to resolve congestion to the US 564 access via the US 264 - US 64 corridor. It does indeed increase military readiness for active duty military personnel and relieve substantial pressure on the non-HOV lanes.
It could in fact remove the necessity for a downtown Norfolk to Norfolk Naval Base/Air Station light rail spur. Also, consequential approval should be considered a factoring metric for the projected ridership algorithm when developing the Norfolk to Virginia Beach oceanfront spur Supplemental Environmental Impact Study.
There should be no hesitation by the Feds as a national security issue because it enhances the military readiness.