<P> In Dalian, an expressway (Northeast Expressway, or Dongbei Expressway) linking old town and new town had one lane in both outbound and inbound directions set to HOV 2 + . Starting from September 20 2017, commuters can opt to drive in HOV lane on Northeast Expressway during the morning peak hours of 06: 30 - 08: 30, and evening peak hours of 16: 30 - 19: 00 . A fine of CNY100 (about USD15) will be enforced for first violators . For a second violation, the fine will double . </P> <P> HOV lanes may be either a single traffic lane within the main roadway with distinctive markings or a separate roadway with one or more traffic lanes either parallel to the general lanes or grade - separated, above or below the general lanes . For example, Interstate 110 in California has four HOV lanes on an upper deck . </P> <P> HOV bypass lanes to allow carpool traffic to bypass areas of regular congestion in many places, and an HOV lane may operate as a reversible lane, working in the direction of the dominant traffic flow in both the morning and the afternoon . All lanes of a 10 miles (16 km) section of the Interstate 66 in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., are treated as an HOV during the rush hour in the primary direction of flow . </P> <P> The traffic speed differential between HOV and general - purpose lanes creates a potentially dangerous situation if the HOV lanes are not separated by a barrier . A Texas Transportation Institute study found that HOV lanes lacking barrier separations caused a 50% increase in injury crashes . </P>

When is it legal to travel in a reserved lane