There are many strategies that can be used to address congestion along a freeway or network of freeways, especially during peak travel times of the day.  Five strategies that regulate the types of vehicles, occupancy or cost of travel to manage congestion are described below.

HOV Lanes
High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes are a strategy that have been around since the 1970’s and are used to encourage carpooling and transit usage.  Typically, vehicles are required to have at least two or three occupants to travel in an HOV lane.  HOV facilities serve to increase the total number of people moved through a congested corridor by offering two kinds of travel incentives: a substantial savings in travel time, along with a reliable and predictable travel time. Because HOV lanes carry vehicles with a higher number of occupants, they move significantly more people during congested periods, even if the number of vehicles that use the HOV lane is lower than on the adjoining general purpose lanes. In general, carpoolers, vanpoolers, and bus patrons primarily benfit from HOV lanes by allowing them to move through congestion.

HOT Lanes
By paying a toll, drivers of single occupancy vehicles can use lanes that have been designated as high occupancy vehicle lanes only. These lanes are often referred to as high occupancy toll, or HOT, lanes.   HOT lanes can be implemented when HOV lanes are under-utilized, thus attracting drivers from the non-HOV lanes and, thereby reducing congestion in the non-HOV lanes. This strategy allows for reducing congestion in non-HOV lanes as well as for revenue collection.

Bus-Only Lanes
The concept of creating dedicated bus-only lanes first originated in Houston, Texas.  The concept allows very high occupancy vehicles such as busses and vanpools to use physically separated lanes allowing free flow travel. The shorter bus travel times not only move more people more quickly, but also attract new bus riders.  

Managed Lanes
Managed lanes are highway facilities or a set of lanes where operational strategies are proactively implemented and managed in response to changing conditions. This may include the concept of reversible lanes such as those built on Tampa’s Crosstown Expressway.

Congestion (Value) Pricing
If given a chance, many drivers will choose to bypass congestion by using priced (tolled) lanes, particularly when they are in a hurry. Value pricing entails fees or tolls for road use that vary with the level of congestion. Fees are typically assessed electronically to eliminate delays associated with manual toll collection facilities. FHWA is partnering with state and local agencies to test a number of value pricing projects to determine their ability to reduce congestion and increase travel options.