(April 11, 2001) Legislators have approved a study of Interstate 394 that could open high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes to all traffic for an estimated six weeks.

The House Transportation Policy Committee approved HF1054, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Johnson (R-Plymouth), April 10, and referred it to the House Transportation Finance Committee without recommendation.

The lanes are designated for use only by vehicles carrying more than one passenger. They lead east into Minneapolis from western suburbs in the morning, and are reserved for outbound vehicles during the evening rush.

According to Christine Johnson of the Federal Highway Administration, HOV lanes are designed to appear underutilized to frustrated commuters, who then feel a motivation to carpool or ride the bus. In the long run, she said, the very perception of underutilization is "part of the attraction" for mass transit.

Johnson described the lanes as "a failed experiment in behavior modification," and described as "purely speculative" concerns that opening the lanes could decrease congestion. Johnson said she "is generally not a big fan of studies," but that the proposal is "the only way to go with respect to this issue."

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