Was that really their conclusion? What I see are these statements, which are somewhat different - "
The study concludes that there is no evidence that allowing motorcycles to travel on HOV lanes in Virginia has an adverse impact on motorcycle safety or congestion on HOV lanes."
CONCLUSIONS
There is no evidence at this time that allowing motorcycle traffic on HOV lanes has an adverse impact on safety or operations. The current level of motorcycle traffic - a high of 3.0%of the annual traffic on HOV lanes - is not substantial, and the number of crashes involving motorcycles is low.
In fact, there is some evidence to indicate that allowing motorcycles to travel on the HOV lanes may even decrease the number of incidents, particularly rear-end and congestion-related crashes, involving motorcycles in the peak direction.
If, in accordance with the provisions of ISTEA, a state may ban motorcycles from HOV lanes only if there is a documented safety or operations problem created by such traffic, then VDOT has no basis on which to institute such a ban at this time.
However, VDOT's original point concerning the banning of motorcycle traffic is still valid: motorcycles are not high occupancy vehicles. If the HOV lanes move toward capacity, if motorcycle traffic becomes a substantial proportion of the HOV traffic, or if crashes involving motorcycles increase, then an operations problem could follow.
"
May even decrease the number of incidents" is hardly a strong statement supporting the notion that HOV lanes are safer for motorcycles, particularly when you look at the kinds of crashes that motorcycles are engaged in in the non-HOV lanes (speed-related loss of control, single-vehicle crash, rear-ending cars).
In addition, should motorcycle traffic increase significantly, the very ITSEA legislation that opens the HOV lanes to motorcycles will also allow their exclusion from the lanes precisely because they will then be adversely affecting the intent of the HOV lanes.
VDOT should continue to monitor traffic and crash patterns on HOV lanes. Although thereis no evidence that would warrant the banning of motorcycles from HOV facilities at thistime, VDOT should remain aware of changing conditions. There is certainly the issue ofwhether motorcycle traffic may increase in the future. If so, at what point may allowing single-occupant vehicles adversely affect HOV operations? The latter is an issue that should remain a concern of VDOT.