(a) Definitions:

(1) “Carpool” means a vehicle containing three or more persons.

(2) “Bus/carpool lane” means a lane on a street or highway open only to buses (or to buses and carpools), whether constructed especially for that purpose or converted from existing lanes.

(3) “Preferential treatment” for any class of vehicles, means either the setting aside of one traffic lane for the exclusive use of such vehicles or other measures (for example, access metering or setting aside the entire street), which the Administrator finds would be at least equal in VMT reduction effect to the establishment of such a lane.

(b) This regulation is applicable in the Metropolitan Los Angeles Intrastate Air Quality Control Region (the “Region”).

(c) On or before May 31, 1974, the State of California, through the State Department of Transportation or through other agencies to which legal authority has been delegated, shall establish the following system of bus/carpool lanes.

(1) Ventura/Hollywood Corridor—a concurrent flow exclusive bus/carpool lane from Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Woodland Hills (U.S. 101) to junction of the Hollywood Freeway, and contraflow on the Hollywood Freeway (U.S. 101) from the junction with Ventura Freeway in North Hollywood to Vermont Avenue, and bus preferential treatment on arterial surface streets from Vermont Avenue to the Los Angeles central business district (CBD).

(2) Harbor Freeway Corridor—contraflow on Harbor Freeway (California 11) from vicinity of Pacific Coast Highway, in Wilmington, to junction of Santa Monica Freeway (I-10), then by surface street preferential treatment to LA/CBD.

(3) Wilshire Corridor—surface street preferential bus treatment from vicinity of San Vincente Boulevard, to LA/CBD.

(4) San Bernardino Freeway Corridor-Bus/carpool lane, either contraflow, or concurrent flow on San Bernardino Freeway from El Monte terminus of existing San Bernardino Freeway bus lane (I-10), to vicinity of Ontario Airport.

(5) Priority Treatment in CBD—provide preferential treatment in CBD on surface streets to connect Wilshire and San Bernardino corridors.

(d) On or before May 31, 1976, the State of California, through the State Department of Transportation or other agencies to which legal authority has been delegated, shall establish the following system of bus and bus/carpool lanes:

(1) Contraflow lane on the Golden State Freeway (I-5) from junction of Ventura Freeway (California 134) in Los Angeles to San Bernardino Freeway (I-10).

(2) Contraflow on Pasadena Freeway (California 11) from terminus in City of Pasadena to Hollywood Freeway (U.S. 101).

(3) Contraflow on Pomona Freeway from San Gabriel Freeway (I-605) to Santa Ana Freeway (I-5).

(4) Concurrent flow in San Diego Freeway (I-405) from Ventura Freeway (U.S. 101) in Sherman Oaks to Newport Freeway (California 55), Costa Mesa.

(5) Concurrent flow on Long Beach Freeway (California 7) from Santa Ana Freeway (I-5), City of Commerce to San Diego Freeway (I-405), Long Beach.

(6) Artesia Freeway (California 91) from Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) to Long Beach Freeway (California 7), Long Beach.

(e) State III will include specific routes in other portions of the Region.

(f) On or before December 31, 1973, the State of California shall submit to the Administrator a compliance schedule showing the steps it will take to establish the system of bus/carpool lanes required by paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, with each schedule to include the following:

(1) A schedule for the establishment of the lanes. The schedule for the lanes required by paragraph (d) of this section shall provide for the first such lane to be set aside no later than June 1, 1974.

(2) Bus/carpool lanes must be prominently indicated by overhead signs at appropriate intervals and at each intersection of entry ramps.

(3) Bus/carpool lanes must be prominently indicated by distinctive painted, pylon, or physical barriers.

(4) Vehicles using a bus/carpool lane shall have the right of way when crossing other portions of the road to enter or leave such lanes.

(5) At a minimum, the bus/carpool lanes so set aside shall operate from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 3:30 to 6:30 a.m. each weekday.

(g) No deviation from the system of bus/carpool lanes required under paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section shall be permitted except upon application made by the State of California to the Administrator at the time of submittal of compliance schedules and approved by him, which application must contain a satisfactory designation of alternate routes for the establishment of such lanes.

[38 FR 31254, Nov. 12, 1973]