Dear Editor:
I found your article on toll lanes ("Toll lanes on Phoenix area freeways subject of $500K study," AFN, Jan. 5) informative and interesting.
I must admit to being a bit confused by the concept of allowing people to pay to drive single-occupancy vehicles in the HOV lanes. I thought that the intent of HOV lanes was to encourage people to ride in car pools, thus reducing the number of vehicles on the road, reducing the need for more roads (or lanes) and reducing pollution as well.
Now it seems as if our elected representatives are saying that if you can afford it you will be allowed to drive in car pool lanes. This seems to be counter-productive.
Those who can afford it can now drive their gas-guzzling SUVs and other vehicles in the HOV lanes rather than considering driving in a car pool or using a more fuel efficient vehicle for their commute; and result in more traffic in the already over-crowded HOV lanes.
It appears as if the idea of new-found revenue is more important that the original intent of HOV lanes and that was to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, thereby, reducing pollution and the ever-growing need to build still more lanes and roads.
What am I missing?
Jim Slavin
