GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1987 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 547

SENATE BILL 410

 

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE TRAFFIC LANES FOR RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 20-146.2.  Rush hour traffic lanes authorized.-(a) The Department of Transportation may designate one or more travel lanes as high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on streets and highways on the State Highway System and cities may designate one or more travel lanes as high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on streets on the Municipal Street System.  HOV lanes shall be reserved for vehicles with a specified number of passengers as determined by the Department of Transportation or the city having jurisdiction over the street or highway.  When HOV lanes have been designated, and have been appropriately marked with signs or other markers, they shall be reserved for privately or publicly operated buses, and automobiles or other vehicles containing the specified number of persons.

(b)       The Department of Transportation may modify, upgrade, and designate shoulders of controlled access facilities and partially controlled access facilities as temporary travel lanes during peak traffic periods.  When these shoulders have been appropriately marked, it shall be unlawful to use these shoulders for stopping or emergency parking.  Emergency parking areas shall be designated at other appropriate areas, off these shoulders, when available.

(c)       The Department of Transportation may designate travel lanes for the directional flow of peak traffic on streets and highways on the State Highway System and cities may designate travel lanes for the directional flow of peak traffic on streets on the Municipal Street System.  These travel lanes may be  designated for time periods by the agency controlling the streets and highways."

Sec. 2.  This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 3rd day of July, 1987.