Easy access to carpool lanes would promote efficiency, drivers say

Nearly two-thirds of motorists surveyed support the use of carpool lanes by solo drivers during off-peak hours, the Orange County Transportation Authority announced Monday.

The OCTA-commissioned survey also found that, of 1,084 respondents who use the Garden Grove Freeway, 71% believe they should continue being allowed to pull in and out of its carpool lanes at will.

The survey is the first on those subjects by the OCTA, which has asked Caltrans to study letting solo drivers into carpool lanes and expanding unfettered access to them countywide.

County Supervisor Bill Campbell, an OCTA board member, said he was surprised at the number of drivers -- about 58% -- who reported being unaware of the new experimental rules allowing them to enter and exit the Garden Grove Freeway’s carpool lanes freely instead of only at designated points as required on most other freeways.

The freeway, traversed by about 200,000 vehicles daily traveling east and west through Orange, Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Westminster, has had carpool lanes for only a few months. “It shows we need more signs,” Campbell said.

Regarding solo drivers, the former assemblyman said he had asked Caltrans more than a year ago, when he was OCTA chairman, to grant them access to carpool lanes throughout Southern California.

He said he wanted Southern Californians to have the same carpool privileges as motorists in some parts of the Bay Area and Sacramento, where carpool lane access is restricted only during morning and evening rush hours.

This year, OCTA Chairwoman Carolyn Cavecche also has pushed to extend that pattern to other Orange County freeways.

“I will continue to hold both Caltrans’ and the federal highway agency’s feet to the fire on that because this is something that needs to happen in Southern California and especially in Orange County,” she said.

Cavecche said she would discuss regional transportation issues, including the carpool lanes, at a meeting Thursday of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The $35,000 telephone survey by Irvine-based Strategic Consulting & Research quizzed motorists who drive the Garden Grove Freeway at least once a year, though 70% said they used it monthly.

Mark McCourt, president of the research firm, said participating households were selected from a previous survey of residents of 11 cities, including Long Beach.

The survey also found that drivers, especially those familiar with the freeway’s new carpooling rules, believe allowing continuous access improves efficiency and safety.

“I guess you can say that for the 22 Freeway, familiarity breeds popularity,” McCourt said.

david.reyes@latimes.com

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In and out

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Almost six in 10 people polled said rules should change to allow drivers to exit or enter carpool lanes without waiting for a broken line. The poll sought data on the Garden Grove Freeway’s test program that allows continuous access to the carpool lane.

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Other Orange County freeway carpool lanes should be changed to continuous access or remain limited access.

Change to continuous 59%

Remain limited 31%

Don’t know 10%

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Continuous access will make it easier to get in or out near a freeway entrance or exit on the Garden Grove Freeway.

Agree 58%

Strongly agree 25%

Not sure/don’t know 8%

Disagree/strongly disagree 9%

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Continuous access on the Garden Grove Freeway will make it more dangerous because slow cars can enter at any point.

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Disagree/strongly disagree 49%

Agree/strongly agree 40%

Not sure/ don’t know 11%

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If against continuous access, primary reason to support limited access on the Garden Grove Freeway.

It’s safer 61%

Don’t know 12%

It’s faster for carpoolers 11%

Other 10%

It discourages violations 6%

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Note: Based on a telephone survey of 1,084 households between April 30 and June 13 with motorists who use the Garden Grove Freeway at least once a year. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3%.

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Source: Orange County Transportation Authority