LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Nevada Lt. Governor Stavros Anthony has appealed for federal help from the Trump Administration to eliminate HOV lanes across the state.
In an exclusive interview with FOX5, Lt. Governor Anthony explains how, in recent discussions with federal officials from the current administration, Department of Transportation leaders have been receptive to input on possible changes.
“I’ve been in contact with the National Department of Transportation personally to let them know that the state of Nevada does not want HOV lanes, but I want to make sure we do this right. I don’t want to push anybody. I want to make sure that we’re going through the right process… Southern Nevadans want those lanes open,” Lt. Governor Anthony said.
While states can manage operating hours, the federal Department of Transportation has ultimate authority over HOV lanes.
“I believe we’re the only state in the country that is actually going through the process of eliminating HOV lanes,” Anthony said.
The federal process for a full review involves environmental studies and surveys in partnership with officials from the Nevada Department of Transportation.
A year’s worth of studies and surveys have been completed, Anthony said. He hopes for an answer from the federal government in six to eight months; after a determination from the DOT on the state’s request, Anthony hopes to then return to the NDOT Board for further action.
“The Trump administration has a completely different philosophy: let’s bring a lot of these decisions back to the states, so the federal government is not telling the state of Nevada what it can and cannot do. That’s a good thing. We want to control our own destiny here in Nevada. The Trump administration is reducing regulations, and this is a regulation on drivers in the state of Nevada that we do not want. So I think the Trump administration is a lot more open,” Anthony said.
Since Anthony took office, he’s worked with the Board of the Nevada Department of Transportation to limit operating hours for HOV lanes. In 2023, HOV operating hours were reduced to 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. during the Monday to Friday morning commute, and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. during the afternoon and evening commute.
Since the state launched HOV lanes in 2007 with federal backing, operating hours have changed four times with the following pivots:
- 2007: 24/7 operating hours
- 2008: 6 – 10 p.m., 2- 7 p.m., Monday – Friday
- 2019: 24/7 operating hours
- 2022: 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily
- 2023: 6 a.m.- 8 a.m., 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Friday
FOX5 reported on the results of a recent NDOT study analyzing changes: results showed minimal impact between the first and second changes to operating hours.
Anthony and other critics of the state’s HOV system point to the state’s unique workforce: many commuters simply do not work a typical “9 to 5,” leading to empty HOV lanes and congested freeways at odd hours.
“Maybe in Los Angeles, they like it, I don’t know. But we’re not Los Angeles. People here like to drive their own cars. They’re not going to carpool. It’s a wasted effort on a social engineering process that started 20 years ago that we need to eliminate,” Anthony said.
State taxpayers paid for these roads. Because they’re public roads, anybody should be able to use them,” he said.
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