My Tentative Request Today for an Update Study on 'High Occupancy Vehicle' Lanes of Major Highways Here in Utah

 I hope this most recent email letter of mine to Utah House Majority Leader Mike Schultz is helpful.

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: "John McMillan" <mcmillanj@att.net>

To: "Mike Schultz" <mikeschultz@le.utah.gov>, "contactudot@utah.gov" <contactudot@utah.gov>, "emcmillan@utah.gov" <emcmillan@utah.gov>, "gschultz@byu.edu" <gschultz@byu.edu>, "Gay Lynn Bennion" <glbennion@le.utah.gov>, "mballard@le.utah.gov" <mballard@le.utah.gov>, "Brett Garner" <bgarner@le.utah.gov>, "Paul A. Cutler" <pcutler@le.utah.gov>, "Marsha Judkins" <mjudkins@le.utah.gov>, "mike.brown" <mike.brown@slcgov.com>, "Mike Weichers" <mweichers@ch.utah.gov>, "Cameron Roden" <croden@utah.gov>, "State Rep. Angela Romero" <angelaromero@le.utah.gov>, "cody.schlottmann@mail.house.gov" <cody.schlottmann@mail.house.gov>, "Internships" <internships@romney.senate.gov>, "Joel_wellum" <joel_wellum@lee.senate.gov>, "newsmedia@ldschurch.org" <newsmedia@ldschurch.org>, "Deseret News 2022" <dnweb@deseretnews.com>, "jsweeney@sltrib.com" <jsweeney@sltrib.com>, "University of Utah Student Newspaper 2022" <press@chronicle.utah.edu>, "Utah Press Assn Director Brian Allfrey 2022" <ballfrey@utahpress.com>, "Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson 2021" <beckiepage@utah.gov>, "Office of Gov. Spencer Cox" <govcomm@utah.gov>, "Utah Transit Authority" <llasker@rideuta.com>, "transportationcommission@utah.gov" <transportationcommission@utah.gov>, "American Public Transportation Assn 2021" <ptads@apta.com>, "Utah Educational TV 2022" <resources@uen.org>, "Utah Farm Bureau Federation 2022" <aubree.thomas@fbfs.com>, "Utah Restaurant Association 2022" <info@utahrestaurantassociation.org>, "Utah Republican Party" <info@utgop.org>, "jsweeney@sltrib.com" <jsweeney@sltrib.com>, "Schools Utah Webmaster" <webmaster@schools.utah.gov>, "membership@utahretail.com" <membership@utahretail.com>, "Aaafoundation Info" <info@aaafoundation.org>, "Utah Safety Council" <safety@utahsafetycouncil.org>, "UT_Webmanager" <ut_webmanager@hud.gov>, "Attorney General of Utah" <uag@utah.gov>, "jessanderson@utah.gov" <jessanderson@utah.gov>, "Mayor Wilson" <mayor@slco.org>, "Federal Transit Administration 2021" <ftapressoffice@dot.gov>, "communications@utahbar.org" <communications@utahbar.org>, "Salt Lake City (UT) City Council" <council.comments@slcgov.com>, "Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall 2021" <mayor@slcgov.com>, "communications@ogdencity.com" <communications@ogdencity.com>, "Carl Albrecht" <carlalbrecht@le.utah.gov>, "Kimberly Foster" <kimberly.foster@wvc-ut.gov>, "Rori Andreason" <randreason@midvale.com>, "Utah State Univ Communications 2022" <ucom@usu.edu>, "library@utahtech.edu" <library@utahtech.edu>, "news@ksl.com" <news@ksl.com>, "Fox News SLC 2022" <news@fox13now.com>, "nbauer@abc4.com" <nbauer@abc4.com>, "Jennifer Gardiner" <jgardiner@abc4.com>, "Jplumb" <jplumb@le.utah.gov>, "Joel Briscoe" <jbriscoe@le.utah.gov>, "Slchamber Info" <info@slchamber.com>, "The State of Idaho" <itdcommunication@itd.idaho.gov>, "Envisionutah Info" <info@envisionutah.org>, "Betterutah Info" <info@betterutah.org>, "mediarelations@weber.edu" <mediarelations@weber.edu>, "suharrison@slco.org" <suharrison@slco.org>, "llstringham@slco.org" <llstringham@slco.org>, "County Council Member Bradshaw" <arbradshaw@slco.org>, "Kirk Cullimore" <kcullimore@le.utah.gov>, "info@actweb.org" <info@actweb.org>, "mkennedy@le.utah.gov" <mkennedy@le.utah.gov>, "utah.chapter@sierraclub.org" <utah.chapter@sierraclub.org>, "byu-info@byu.edu" <byu-info@byu.edu>, "sociology@byu.edu" <sociology@byu.edu>, "mstevenson@midvale.com" <mstevenson@midvale.com>, "dpscontact@utah.gov" <dpscontact@utah.gov>, "slcpdpr@slcgov.com" <slcpdpr@slcgov.com>, "Utah Peace Officers Association 2022" <homeupoa@gmail.com>, "Utah Chiefs of Police Assn 2021" <vshupe@utahchiefs.org>, "Utah Hospital Association 2021" <jill@utahhospitals.org>

Cc: "Ulct Info" <info@ulct.org>, "Transportation" <transportation@slcgov.com>, "National Association of City Transportation Officials 2021" <nacto@nacto.org>, "American Association of Transportation Officials 2021" <info@aashto.org>, "uhlaevents@gmail.com" <uhlaevents@gmail.com>, "Utahia Info" <info@utahia.org>, "anielson@murrayschools.org" <anielson@murrayschools.org>, "Murrayschools Info" <info@murrayschools.org>, "mayor@murray.utah.gov" <mayor@murray.utah.gov>, "kharris@bountiful.gov" <kharris@bountiful.gov>

Sent: Sat, Apr 6, 2024 at 9:55 PM

Subject: Possible Need for Update to 2016 HOV Lanes Study

https://news.byu.edu/news/byu-study-shows-fourth-utah-hov-lane-users-are-breaking-rules

"Research to increase rush hour HOV speeds finds many non-carpoolers in express lane

"Segment of I-15 with most carpool violators is between Draper and Midvale, whether it's morning or afternoon rush hour

"In morning rush hour, anywhere from 25 percent to 33 percent of HOV lane users from Lehi to Midvale are breaking rules

"Engineers suggest an increase in enforcement, education and tolls to help curb the problem

"Newly published research from BYU civil engineers finds that up to 25 percent of drivers in Utah’s high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes during rush hour are violating carpool requirements.

"The two segments of I-15 with the most single occupant violators in the morning won’t surprise commuters: Northbound between 14600 S. and 7200 S. (33 percent) and northbound from Lehi Main Street to 14600 S. (25 percent)."

“'The sections of I-15 with the most HOV violators are the sections where there is the most congestion,' said study lead author Grant Schultz, professor of civil engineering at BYU. “'With education and enforcement, those areas can improve.”

"....The research was done in conjunction with the Utah Department of Transportation and is aimed at finding ways to improve HOV lane speeds. The goal is to keep carpool lane speeds above 55 mph during rush-hour traffic."

April 6, 2024

Dear Utah State Legislature  House Majority Leader Mike Schultz,

Thank you again for your friendly  November 27, 2023, reply e-mail letter to me  in which you invited me to write and send you additional public policy-related concerns of mine about Utah.

I am writing you today to respectfully ask if you believe the Utah House  should authorize funding for a follow-up Utah "High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes" on highways  study  to the one about eight years ago for which the lead author was  Brigham Young University (BYU) Professor of Civil Engineering Grant Schultz.

Above is an online link to a copyrighted 2016-dated  BYU report summarizing  results from that study. The report was written by Todd Hollingshead.

One possible goal of the proposed new  follow-up study might be to identify whether there has been an increase, decrease, or no change since eight years ago  in the  percentage of drivers in Utah's High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes during rush-hour traffic  who each violate carpool requirements applicable for that highway.

The State of Utah apparently defines a carpool as a moving motor vehicle in which there is a driver and at least one  passenger inside that vehicle.

Another possible goal of the follow-up study could be to determine whether carpool- lane speeds in Utah during rush-hour traffic periods  are currently  averaging more than  55 miles per hour.

The Utah Department of Transportation reportedly supports the goal of maintaining average carpool- lane speeds on highways in Utah  at more than  55 miles per hour during rush- hour traffic.

House Majority Leader Schultz, I also am very  hopeful that your sagacious Utah House under your enlightened  leadership will please approve a Resolution praising BYU Professor of Civil Engineering Grant Schultz for his outstanding contributions toward promoting safer, more law-abiding,  and more energy-efficient use of High Occupancy Vehicle lanes in Utah during periods of rush-hour traffic on highways.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely and Best Wishes,

former Texas DPS full-time employee and current  gainfully employed, permanently alcohol-free, single adult permanent Utah resident John Kevin McMillan, 535 South 200 East, Apt. 912, Ninth Floor, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.

I am the youngest son of public-safety-minded Murray (UT) native, Murray High School alumnus, and University of Utah alumnus Dr. Calvin McMillan.