New Carpool Lane Hours Coming to Highway 101 in North Bay

Caltrans announces expanded HOV lane times to help relieve congestion in Sonoma and Marin counties.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 9:31am

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Caltrans has announced that new carpool lane hours will be implemented on Highway 101 in Sonoma and Marin counties starting in late February. The high occupancy vehicle (HOV) hours will now be from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, expanded from the previous hours.

Why it matters

The move is aimed at encouraging carpooling and transit use to help alleviate congestion on the busy US-101 corridor in the North Bay region. Transportation officials say the expanded HOV lane hours demonstrate their commitment to providing carpool options and reducing traffic in the area.

The details

The new carpool lane hours on Highway 101 in Sonoma and Marin counties will go into effect in late February. Vehicles with two or more occupants will be able to use the HOV lanes during the expanded morning and evening rush hour periods on weekdays.

  • The new carpool lane hours will begin in late February 2026.
  • The HOV lane hours will now be from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The players

Caltrans

The California Department of Transportation, the state agency responsible for managing and maintaining California's transportation infrastructure.

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The takeaway

The expanded carpool lane hours on Highway 101 in the North Bay are a proactive step by transportation officials to promote carpooling and public transit use, which can help reduce traffic congestion and emissions in the region.