What happens when ineligible vehicles use the HOV Lane?
Violators are subject to fines. A strong enforcement program is critical to providing equity and fairness for all drivers in the corridor. The Washington State Patrol is committed to this and will be the primary enforcer the new HOV Lane. A motorcycle unit has been assigned to southwest Washington. One of their duties is to monitor use of the lane and issue citations to violators. City of Vancouver and Clark County law enforcement officers also have the authority to issue citations. The fine for violation in the State of Washington is $86 per offense. The I-5 widening project will include wider shoulders where vehicles who are suspected of violating the occupancy requirement can be safely pulled off of the highway and out of the traffic stream. In many U.S. metropolitan areas, including the Puget Sound area, a system for individuals to report violators is in place. At this time, no such system exists in the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area. This tool may be reconsidered in the futu
