§ 20-146.2. Rush hour traffic lanes authorized. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 20‑146.2.  Rush hourtraffic lanes authorized.

(a)        HOV Lanes. – TheDepartment of Transportation may designate one or more travel lanes as highoccupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on streets and highways on the State HighwaySystem and cities may designate one or more travel lanes as high occupancyvehicle (HOV) lanes on streets on the Municipal Street System. HOV lanes shallbe reserved for vehicles with a specified number of passengers as determined bythe Department of Transportation or the city having jurisdiction over thestreet or highway. When HOV lanes have been designated, and have beenappropriately marked with signs or other markers, they shall be reserved forprivately or publicly operated buses, and automobiles or other vehiclescontaining the specified number of persons. Where access restrictions areapplied on HOV lanes through designated signing and pavement markings, vehiclesshall only cross into or out of an HOV lane at designated openings. A motorvehicle shall not travel in a designated HOV lane if the motor vehicle has morethan three axles, regardless of the number of occupants. HOV lane restrictionsshall not apply to motorcycles or vehicles designed to transport 15 or morepassengers, regardless of the actual number of occupants. HOV lane restrictionsshall not apply to emergency vehicles. As used in this subsection, the term"emergency vehicle" means any law enforcement, fire, police, or othergovernment vehicle, and any public and privately owned ambulance or emergencyservice vehicle, when responding to an emergency.

(a1)      Transitway Lanes. –The Department of Transportation may designate one or more travel lanes as atransitway on streets and highways on the State Highway System and cities maydesignate one or more travel lanes as a transitway on streets on the MunicipalStreet System. Transitways shall be reserved for public transportation vehiclesas determined by the Department of Transportation or the city havingjurisdiction over the street or highway. When transitways have been designated,and they have been appropriately marked with signs or other markers, they shallbe reserved for privately or publicly operated transportation vehicles asdetermined by the Department or the city having jurisdiction.

(b)        Temporary PeakTraffic Shoulder Lanes. – The Department of Transportation may modify, upgrade,and designate shoulders of controlled access facilities and partiallycontrolled access facilities as temporary travel lanes during peak trafficperiods. When these shoulders have been appropriately marked, it shall beunlawful to use these shoulders for stopping or emergency parking. Emergencyparking areas shall be designated at other appropriate areas, off theseshoulders, when available.

(c)        Directional FlowPeak Traffic Lanes. – The Department of Transportation may designate travellanes for the directional flow of peak traffic on streets and highways on theState Highway System and cities may designate travel lanes for the directionalflow of peak traffic on streets on the Municipal Street System. These travellanes may be designated for time periods by the agency controlling the streetsand highways. (1987,c. 547, s. 1; 1999‑350, s. 1; 2003‑184, s. 5.)