Drive Time
Extended ZipLane hours remain for time being

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Transportation Writer

Following last week's terrorist attack, use of the ZipLane may have gotten an unintentional boost last week because of traffic delays related to the tragedy.

The state Department of Transportation has indefinitely extended use of the ZipLane to 9:15 a.m. on weekdays, giving commuters from Central/Leeward O'ahu an extra 75 minutes to use the lane into downtown Honolulu.

The movable barrier system opens an extra townbound lane on the H-1 Freeway between Manager's Drive in Waipahu and the Ke'ehi interchange on weekday mornings.

The state decided to extend the ZipLane hours last week because traffic had backed up along O'ahu's freeways after area military bases went on heightened security alert. Stringent base checkpoints have created long lines of cars waiting to get in.

The state had already opened the ZipLane for two or more occupants per vehicle from 7 to 8 a.m. in early August. Vehicles with three or more occupants can use the ZipLane beginning at 5 a.m.

Kali said the state hasn't done any recent traffic counts on the ZipLane since it opened up for the two passenger-minimum per vehicle, but said its usage has probably increased since the start of the school year. The idea for allowing two occupants per vehicle after 7 a.m. came from Cal Kawamoto, Senate Transportation Committee chairman.

"The ZipLane can probably handle the extra cars, because usage drops off dramatically after 7:15 a.m.," Kali said.

Kali said her department may introduce legislation to ban motorcycles on the ZipLane, which are now allowed.

"Right now we have motorcycles passing other vehicles in the ZipLane, and it was not created for that," she said. (Drivers cannot pass other vehicles in the ZipLane and the speed limit is 55 mph.)

Kali said the ZipLane will eventually close when the second city of Kapolei forces enough commuters to head west instead of east.

"Right now, the traffic split in each direction is 60 percent heading into town and 40 percent the other way," Kali said. "One day, the traffic split will be 50-50 and we won't need the ZipLane anymore."

Commuters shouldn't hold their breath, though. With more residents moving west, state officials don't expect traffic to hit that 50-50 level for another 10 to 15 years.

Reach Scott Ishikawa at 525-8070 or at sishikawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.