2019 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
Title 48 - Roads, Bridges and Ferries
§345. Designation of a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane on highways in the state highway system; penalty
RS 345 - Designation of a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane on highways in the state highway system; penalty
A. The secretary or his designee may designate high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on any highway in the state highway system where adequate shoulders exist and may restrict the use thereof to vehicular traffic classified as a "high-occupancy vehicle (HOV)" to the extent he thinks it expedient that, in his judgment, is appropriate to provide travel time savings and to increase the total number of people moved through a highway corridor with high levels of travel demand and traffic congestion. Nothing in this Section authorizes the secretary or his designee to designate an existing roadway or travel lane as a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane.
B. For the purpose of this Section, the following words and phrases shall have the meaning respectively ascribed to them:
(1) "High-occupancy vehicle" means a passenger car, pickup truck, van, recreational vehicle, or a bus or other motorized passenger vehicle used for transporting persons such as a carpool or a vanpool vehicle used for ridesharing purposes and occupied by a driver and one or more passengers. A truck, tandem truck, tractor, truck-tractor, combination of vehicles, or commercial motor vehicle carrying or transporting freight, merchandise, or other property shall not be a high-occupancy vehicle.
(2) "High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane" means one or more lanes of a highway or an entire highway designated by traffic control devices where high-occupancy vehicles are given at all times, or at regularly scheduled times, a priority or preference over some or all other vehicles moving in the general stream of all highway traffic.
C. Any high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane designated pursuant to Subsection A of this Section may be used by a motorcycle, as defined in R.S. 32:1, without regard to the number of riders or passengers.
D. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations related to enforcement and penalties of the high-occupancy vehicle lanes. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the rules and regulations shall be in accordance with the selected implementation method of the high-occupancy vehicle lanes.
Acts 2019, No. 81, §1.
