Hot Lanes Provides Some Relief to Asian American Professionals But Not Enough

 

 

 

 

Anyone living in the DC metropolitan area knows to avoid Northern Virginia traffic like poison ivy. On November 17, 2012, in an effort to ease traffic, the the Virginia Department of Transportation unveiled for the 495 HotLanes, which stretch from McLean to Springfield, Virginia. The Hot Lanes was a result of an unprecedented public-private partnership between TransUrban, Fluor Enterprises, and the Virginia Department of Transportation. There is a toll fee that fluctuates for users of the Hot Lanes (with an E-ZPass) but carpoolers can use the lanes without charge using an E-ZPass Flex card.

 

Asian Fortune talked to some Asian American professionals to see if they actually found the Hot Lanes useful. Amy Miao, financial advisor with New York Life said that it was: “I have used the HOT lanes numerous times during my commute between my office in Bethesda and my home in Fairfax and it has helped tremendously. Although the prices are correlated with the congestion and fees increase as traffic does – I think the pay is definitely worth it. Overall I am very happy that they’ve decided to implement this idea to ease rush hour traffic for commuters. It’s ingenious.”

 

On the other hand, Johnny Ma, patent attorney with Oblon Spivak, has a more reserved opinion on the Hot Lanes. “[It’s] helpful when there is a backup before the route 7 exit,” he said. When there isn’t, it usually takes longer since there is a light at the end of the exit ramp for the Hot Lanes. It would be nice if they had a estimated commute time comparison so I don’t have to remember to check my phone each time.”

 

On the whole however, many Asian Americans do not seem to be taking advantage of the Hot Lanes because of the perceived cost to value ratio. Many Asian Americans don’t see a greater advantage in taking the Hot Lanes, and for some, the Hot Lanes don’t operate in the areas where they travel.

 

For example, Cynthia McGee, a lender at Wells Fargo, finds the Hot Lanes useful whenever she is traveling from her office in Tyson’s to a client elsewhere in Virginia. However, for her morning commute from Potomac to Tyson’s Corner, the Hot Lanes only cover the last 4 miles of her trip and McGee doesn’t find it worthwhile to take them.

Asian Fortune is an English language newspaper for Asian American professionals in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Visit fb.com/asianfortune to stay up to date with our news and what’s going on in the Asian American community.