Parking on the highway

So, there's really reason to worry about commuting in DC.

The Washington region’s freeway system has become significantly more crowded over the past three years according to a major new aerial traffic study released today by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB). From 2002 to 2005, the first hour of evening rush hour (4:30 P.M. to 5:30 P.M.) experienced the greatest increase in lane miles of congestion—64%.
(Metropolitan Washington Council of Governements, Feb 15, 2006)

The DC area has "high occupancy vehicles" lanes which you would expect to quickly lose their appeal since all Washingtonians would beg their colleagues to share their car in order to save an hour or two a day. But no. Much to my dismay, my colleagues who car-pool told me that they get in and out of work in a zip on those lanes. Good for them, but it means that not enough people are using those HOV lanes.

Nevertheless, the authorities recommend the construction of more of those HOV lanes. Despite my anecdotal evidence, it seems to work (see page 12 of this presentation). The only area where traffic has improved are those where they built those HOV.