Q: Greetings Honk: While traveling in the 91 Express Lanes, in either direction, there is “3+ lane” that is less than a 1/4 mile long and looks to me to serve no purpose. What say you, Honk.
– Mike Rowland, Long Beach
A: Honk says that lane can save motorists some moola, Mike.
Here is how it works:
Drivers accompanied by two or more passengers should take that lane — telling the tollway that you deserve a break today.
On the Orange County side of the tollway, there is a booth for each direction, where when manned the spotter looks out for cheaters and can give a heads-up to a California Highway Patrol officer who can cite the offenders. The Express Lanes pays to have an extra layer of CHP officers, who can tuck their cruisers off to the side there and wait.
“It’s free if you (legitimately) go through that lane … except for eastbound Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., and it’s 50% at that time,” said Joel Zlotnik, a spokesperson for the Orange County Transportation Authority, which owns the 91 Express Lanes in O.C.
The system, if you take that short diversion, knows to not charge you. All vehicles on the Express Lanes, by the way, must have a transponder.
Cheaters going through the three-plus lanes can get the equivalent to a carpool-lane violation, which can run well more than $400.
In Riverside County, the same discount applies. There, the Express Lanes deploy what it calls the Occupancy Detection System, which — even through tinted windows, usually — determines how many occupants are in the vehicle. It can even detect infants in child seats, the tollway says.
When a vehicle pulls into the three-plus lane, a camera takes eight still photos real fast, and a $5 million “image technology” device determines if indeed three are inside. If the device says no, a person examines the photos to ensure there was actually a violation.
“It’s pretty effective,” said David Knudsen, deputy executive director of the Riverside County Transportation Commission, which owns that portion of the 91 Express Lanes. “We’re the first in the nation doing this. …
“If we don’t know, we are going to err on the side (of the driver),” he said.
Agencies from across the country have called the commission to ask about the device.
Before the technology was deployed in August, 40% who drove in the lane for the discount were not supposed to, Knudsen said; in January, that had gone down to 30%.
Violators don’t get the discount, of course, and in addition are docked a $5 Occupancy Correction fee.
Like in O.C., CHP officers can pull over violators in Riverside County and cite them for the carpool-lane-like violation, too.
Q: Dear Honk: I am not a resident of the fair city of Orange, but I often like to meet up with friends and family in the circle area for a leisurely meal and a short walkabout. My question: I have Disabled Person license plates. Will I need to pay to park?
– Dave Johnson, Anaheim
A: That is a neat place, right, Dave? Honk dined there just last week.
Starting Feb. 9, to park on some streets in Old Towne Orange will come with a fee — for most folks.
From 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., the charge will be $1.25 to two bucks an hour, reporter Victoria Le of the Southern California News Group recently told readers.
To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk