These lanes are defined as freeway lanes in the same direction of travel, not physically separated from the general purpose lanes, designated for exclusive use by HOVs for all or a portion of the day. Concurrent flow lanes are usually located on the inside lane or shoulder, although not always. Paint striping is a common means used to delineate these lanes. Concurrent flow lanes are typically divided into two general types:

Buffer separated	Non-buffer separated
With this treatment, the HOV lane is separated from adjacent general purpose freeway lanes by a buffer width of one foot or more. A four-foot wide painted median is very common. Ingress and egress to the HOV lane can occur by driving across the barrier at designated access points or by crossing the buffer at random locations.	With this treatment, the HOV and general purpose lanes are separated by a single paint stripe. In most cases, HOV traffic is allowed to freely cross the stripe either into or out of the HOV lane, thereby eliminating the need for specific ingress and egress points.

Barrier separated HOV lanes add an additional lane in each direction, separated from the general-purpose traffic by a concrete barrier. Traditionally, barrier separated HOV lanes are open 24-hours-a-day.

A variety of options that allow HOV travelers to easily access HOV lanes are being considered as part of the study. These options include direct freeway-to-freeway ramps, and local access ramps to major employment destinations.

Continuous Access	Freeway to Freeway Connectors
Slip Ramp Access	Direct Access T Ramps