Michigan now permits carpool lanes when Governor Whitmer signed a law.

It could be a good idea for commuters to start carpooling when going through Oakland County on the bustling I-75.

On Tuesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation allowing the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to designate new highway lanes constructed with federal funds as high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. As part of the I-75 Modernization Project, the department intends to designate HOV lanes on I-75 between 12 Mile Road and South Boulevard.

While House Bill 4352 alters the Michigan Vehicle Code to exclude motorcyclists from HOV limits, House Bill 4353, approved by Whitmer, amends the Michigan Transportation Fund law to allow MDOT to build the new lanes.

MDOT Director Bradley C. Wieferich stated, “These bills represent a major step forward for mobility in Michigan and efforts to decrease emissions by encouraging people to share rides.” “I want to thank the bill sponsors for their diligence and Gov. Whitmer for recognizing what this will mean to commuters and other travelers on one of the state’s busiest corridors.”

Also, the governor approved permits carpool a bill giving the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) the authority to designate recently completed highway lanes that were funded by the federal government as high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. This initiative encourages carpooling and gives MDOT a tool to reduce traffic on highways.

As to the I-75 Modernization Project website, MDOT is reconstructing about 18 miles of I-75 in Oakland County for the first time since the highway’s completion. According to the website, the HOV lanes, sometimes referred to as carpool lanes, will run Monday through Friday during peak hours in the morning and afternoon. During those times, cars need to have two or more riders, including the driver, in order to use the extra lane.

Every Democrat in the state Senate voted in favor of the proposals, along with a number of Republican state senators. The only Republican member of the state House to vote in favor of the bill was state representative John Roth, a Republican from Interlochen; the only Democratic member to vote against it was state representative Lori Stone, a Democrat from Warren.