TTI EVALUATES LANE RESTRICTIONS FOR HOUSTON DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

Employing a Texas law allowing local governments to institute 'no truck' lanes, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) worked with the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) to conduct a study to evaluate the success of a highway lane restricted to only passenger vehicles. After a 36 week monitoring period, it was found that the crash rate on the selected 8-mile stretch of I-10 East Freeway was reduced by 68 percent as a result of lane restriction. Due to this success and an 85% approval rating of the project in a surveys of drivers, the TxDOT is considering implementing the restrictions on additional freeways in Houston.