HOV lanes; degradation; technical correction

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

HB2816: Rules for HOV Lanes When Traffic Slows Down

This bill sets rules to restrict which vehicles can use high occupancy lanes if traffic speeds drop below a certain level.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the Department of Transportation to monitor how single-occupancy cars authorized under specific laws affect HOV lane operations.
• Defines a 'degraded' lane as one where traffic fails to maintain at least 45 miles per hour for 90% of peak hours over 180 consecutive days.
• Restricts use of degraded lanes to specific vehicle types in a set priority order.
• Lists the priority order starting with cars carrying two or more people, followed by public transit buses, other buses with multiple occupants, motorcycles, alternative fuel vehicles, and low emission vehicles.
• Requires officials to keep these restrictions in place as long as the lane remains degraded.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Arizona Department of Transportation
• Drivers using high occupancy vehicle lanes
• Owners of single-occupancy vehicles authorized under sections 28-2416 and 28-2416.01

Terms To Know

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane

A special lane on a road reserved for vehicles carrying multiple passengers or specific types of clean-energy vehicles.

Degraded

When traffic in an HOV lane fails to maintain 45 miles per hour or greater during morning and evening weekday peak hours for 90% of the time over a consecutive 180-day period.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not state when the new rules will officially take effect.
• The text defines speed limits for degradation but does not specify exact start and end times for morning or evening peak hours.

Official Summary Text

HB2816 - HOV lanes; degradation; technical correction

Current Bill Text

HB2816 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
HOV lanes; degradation; technical correction

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2816

Introduced by

Representative
Cavero

AN
ACT

amending
section 28-337, arizona revised statutes; relating to the department of
transportation.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 28-337, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
28-337.

High occupancy vehicle lane; lane degradation; priority use

A. In accordance with 23 United States Code section
166, the department shall develop procedures to monitor the impact that single
occupancy vehicles authorized under sections 28-2416 and 28-2416.01 have on the
operation of the high occupancy vehicle lanes.

B. If a high occupancy vehicle lane becomes degraded
due to the authorization of single occupancy vehicles authorized under sections
28-2416 and 28-2416.01, use of the lane is restricted to the following
vehicles in the following priority:

1. Passenger vehicles with two or more occupants,
including the driver.

2. Public transit buses.

3. Buses with two or more occupants, including the
driver.

4. Motorcycles.

5. Alternative fuel vehicles.

6. Low emission and energy efficient vehicles
as defined in section 28-601
.

C. The department shall limit use to vehicles in the
priority order prescribed in subsection B of this section and shall maintain
those restrictions while the lane or portion of the lane remains degraded.

D. For the purposes of this section, a high
occupancy vehicle lane is degraded if vehicles operating on the facility, or
portions of the facility, are failing to maintain a speed of forty-five miles
per hour or greater ninety
per cent

percent

of the time over a consecutive one hundred eighty day period during morning and
evening weekday
peak hour

peak-hour

periods
.
END_STATUTE