Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Ashley Hayes reportingIf you drive I-15 along the Wasatch Front, you may have noticed crews out painting lines on the HOV lanes.
With those new lines come new rules, and if cross them you may get ticketed.
The new lanes, which run for a 38-mile stretch between Salt Lake City and Orem, officially open for business today. The Utah Highway Patrol begins an enforcement campaign today to educate drivers about how to use them, Trooper Jeff Nigbur said.
Rule number one: pay attention to new highway striping. Express lanes are delineated by double white lines and motorists can be ticketed for crossing them, or using the express lanes to pass other vehicles.
Those caught using the express lanes to pass will pay a fine of about $100.
Express lanes also have 15 specific access points marked by broken white lines. Those are the only places drivers may enter and exit express lanes, Nigbur said.
"The new access points are going to be the toughest part for p eople to understand," he said.
Troopers have been out all morning patrolling the Express Lanes. They are looking for drivers who are crossing the newly painted double white lines.
"I need your license, registration, and proof of insurance."
It's a phrase no driver wants to hear. Starting today, Highway Patrol troopers are pulling over cars for an offense many commuters are unfamiliar with: Driving outside of the lines.
Capt. Terry McKinnon, Utah Highway Patrol: "They'll be stopping vehicles that violate crossing over the double white line."
Until today cars with two or more people have been able to avoid brake tapping by sliding into the HOV lane. But now, new double stripes mean drivers can only enter and exit the lane where there are broken white lines.
Nile Easton, Utah Department of Transportation: "In the past you were able to get in and out of that lane at will."
Trooper: "Look he's just starting to get out...he's gonna cross the line right there."
And when he does, troopers pull him over.
Capt. Terry McKinnon, Utah Highway Patrol: "What we'd like to do is just remind everybody that this is new and they're going to have to plan ahead a tiny bit."
Nile Easton, Utah Department of Transportation: "A lot of times you forget where your ramp is. You're driving in the carpool lane and you've gotta cross 4- 5 lanes of traffic...some wait really too long when it's unsafe, but they do it anyways. And we've seen a lot of fender benders because of it."
So for these drivers, there are no tickets.
Preston Raban, Utah Highway Patrol: "This is a happy happy day because there are no citations issued just educating people in that. You can go and be the prime example of what to do."
Given a friendly reminder for now, these drivers are free to go. Next month the reminder will come at a cost; about 100 dollars for driving outside of the lines.
Other new rules should be fairly simple: Make sure you have a passenger in the car or an express-lane decal on your front or back window.
Express lane passes cost $50 and go on sale to motorists through UDOT this week. Only 600 will be sold.
(The Associated Press Contributed to this story)
