Community Corner

HOV Crackdown Leads to I-279 Backups

60 citations and 14 warnings were issued to violators between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday.

The idea of the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes along Interstate 279 is to encourage car-pooling, reduce congestion, and speed up traffic flow.

But a crackdown on violators of the rules led to lengthy backups along the highway during the Wednesday morning rush hour.

In order to use the HOV lanes, vehicles must have at least two people inside.

60 citations and 14 warnings were issued to violators between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday. The citations cost a little more than $100.

"We realize there are people who ride it and not following the rules. This is to remind you that you can't do that, and you're going to be cited," Trooper Robin Mungo of the Pennsylvania State Police told WTAE-TV. "Unfortunately, we did have some tie ups this morning because of people who wanted to slow down, look at the police activity." 

Mungo told WTAE-TV the enforcement effort was prompted by complaints about HOV violations.

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