Nevada Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony has announced his push to eliminate high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, saying they are not fulfilling their intended purpose of encouraging carpooling. Anthony, a Republican, said the state is beginning the process of applying to the federal government to remove the lanes altogether.

Part of the challenge is tied to federal funding. The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) noted that the state may be required to return $145 million if HOV lanes are removed, as that money was originally allocated to develop them. Anthony said if repayment becomes necessary, he will consider alternative plans that could allow the state to keep the funds while reimagining the use of the lanes.

Anthony argued that the lanes are not achieving their goal. “The purpose was to encourage people to carpool, but nobody’s doing that,” he said, noting he has not heard of people arranging carpools specifically to access HOV lanes.

A survey NDOT conducted in 2024 as part of its ongoing study found mixed results. Of the 3,040 people who responded, 53.8% reported using HOV lanes, but 54.7% said they did not believe the system was beneficial. Of the 1,600 respondents asked if HOV lanes encouraged carpooling, 497 said yes.

The study, led by NDOT with input from experts like Shashi Nambisan, director of UNLV’s Transportation Research Center, is set to conclude in 2027. Nambisan noted that from a technical standpoint, HOV lanes still allow for moving more people during peak travel times. Until the study is complete, NDOT has said the lanes will continue to operate as they do now.

Source: KLAS

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