Mass Transit

HOV and Commuter Info. There are two main HOV systems that flow traffic into the Pentagon / business district. The first is a restricted access (center lane) that flows Northbound in the morning from 0600 to 0930 and Southbound from 1530 to 1900. The HOV begins as far south as Woodbridge, VA, on Interstate 95 and continues on 395 into the Pentagon area. This HOV requires three occupants and the speed / time advantage over the non-HOV lanes is dramatic! You can obviously establish your own car pool or draw riders from the Slug lines which are discussed below. As mentioned earlier, the HOV (center) lanes have restricted access and those accesses almost always have law enforcement sitting at all on / off ramps. The fines are very painful! During non HOV hours, the lanes are open to all traffic. You do have to be very mindful of the times you are in these lanes. The second main HOV is on Interstate 66 flowing West to East. HOV lanes begin west of the city in Gainesville all the way to the Pentagon / central business district. There is no center restricted access lane as on 95, but the times are the same. The left lane is the HOV lane and it requires two occupants. Here’s another significant difference of the 66 HOV system. Once east of the 495 beltway, ALL LANES ARE HOV on 66! If you have only one occupant, you MUST exit 66 and find an alternative route during HOV hours! It is very easy to blow by 495, but for some reason the police are not very understanding of that excuse, and the fines are just as painful! www.commuterpage.com