LT GOV. STAVROS ANTHONY 1 STEP CLOSER TO KILLING HOV LANES

April 11, 2023

Rob Lauer Political Reporter

They are (in theory) supposed to provide an incentive for people to carpool to work. But Las Vegas is a town where people do not and cannot carpool to work because of the layout of the town and the crazy hours people work. The HOV lanes were clearly a bad idea from the very start. Every time I’m driving on the freeway, I see moms with babies, motorcycles, and families driving in the HOV lanes. But mostly, they’re empty and underutilized.

In 2019, then Republican Las Vegas City Councilman Stavros Anthony issued the following announcement: “I am introducing a resolution at our Wednesday July 17 Las Vegas City Council meeting asking the NV Transportation Board to eliminate 24/7 HOV restrictions on US 95 and I 15. 

But Gov. Sisolak and the Dems blocked his efforts to cancel HOV lanes. When 360 News asked for a detailed accounting of the number of folks using HOV lanes to carpool to work, NDOT refused to provide the information.

Today, Nevada Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony delivered on his promise. As a member of the State of Nevada Transportation Board, Lt. Governor Anthony submitted a motion to limit HOV lane times with the ultimate goal of killing them off. 

In addition, Governor Lombardo and the state controller, Andy Mathews, as members of the State of Nevada Transportation Board, voted to limit HOV lanes and study a plan to end them.

NV Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony:

Thank you to the State Transportation Board for approving my motion unanimously to reduce HOV operations from 24 hours to Monday-Friday 6-8am and 4-6 pm, and conducting a study to examine HOV lane elimination in the future.

Here’s a better idea. How about only people who own businesses or people with jobs get to drive in the HOV lanes? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a hurry in the middle of the workday to get to my place of business and found myself stuck behind someone who wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere. Small business owners pay most of the taxes in this county and city, so perhaps they should get to use the HOV lanes to get around town a little faster?