Double Carpool Lanes Coming to the South Bay

The first double carpool lanes in Northern California are going to be built in a 3 mile stretch on 101 between 85 and Embarcadero in Palo Alto. These are extremely rare (had a real hard time finding a photo) and exist on just a few freeways in SoCal.

Eventually these will become double toll lanes, which is part of a much larger project to create double toll lanes stretching from Morgan Hill through San Jose and up to San Mateo. Toll lanes allow single drivers in the carpool lane for a fee that increases with higher congestion. So far the only toll lane in San Jose proper is along 237.

Highway 85 is also going to get the double toll lane treatment as soon as 2015 and 880 is going get it's first carpool lane in each direction between 101 and 237.

Source: Marin Independent Journal

$156M of Freeway Improvements Approved

The VTA just received $156M to do some substantial work on South Bay freeways. $71M will be used to widen 880 from 6 lanes to 8 lanes all the way from 237 to 101. The 2 new lanes will both be HOV lanes (carpool lanes). $85M will be used to add new HOV and exit lanes on 101 between 85 and Embarcadero in Palo Alto. These upgrades are planned to be completed in 2014.

Traffic Relief Coming to the 280/880 Interchange

How many time have you driven to/from Santana Row or Valley Fair and found yourself sitting in massive amounts of traffic? The good news is that some relief is on the way. Several additional lanes and direct highway connectors are being planned that should reduce congestion substantially. So the bad news?  You'll have to wait until 2013 to test out that new asphalt.

For more details on this $130-150 million project, click here.