The Ventura County (Calif.) Transportation Commission (VCTC) has plans to add carpool lanes on the 101 Highway, which is estimated to cost $750 million to $2 billion.
The commission has not yet secured funds to pay for the new lanes; however, VCTC awarded a contract of up to $15.2 million to consulting firm WSP for preliminary engineering design and environmental consulting services for carpool lanes, running north and south for 27 miles between Highway 23 in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Highway 33 in Ventura, Calif.
By adding carpool lanes, VCTC proposes to reduce congestion, improve traffic operations and accommodate future traffic volumes in this area.
The commission began soliciting proposals from engineering consulting firms in July with a due date of Sept. 28.
A new study done for the Southern California Association of Governments has found that 2.1 million household vehicles were added in Ventura County and five other Southern California counties from 2000–2015, resulting in less public transit use and more traffic congestion.
