New carpool lanes open on Loop 202 in Mesa

MESA, AZ - There is some good news for drivers in the East Valley, especially those who have been looking forward to using new carpool lanes along the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway in Mesa.

As of Sunday, the Arizona Department Of Transportation (ADOT) has opened a section of a westbound Loop 202 carpool lane between Gilbert Road and Loop 101.

The new lane, open to all traffic outside of weekday rush hours, will be available to carpoolers for the first time Monday morning.

ADOT crews finished lane striping work Saturday evening in order to open the HOV lane. The eastbound carpool lane in the same area opened a week ago.

The carpool lanes were part of a more than $200 million effort involving two separate projects to add 18 miles of new lanes along Loop 202 from the downtown Phoenix area to Gilbert Road in Mesa.

Both projects started early last year and are being completed on schedule, according to ADOT.

Carpool lanes are limited to motorcycles, buses or vehicles carrying at least two people during the weekday rush hours (6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.). The lanes are open to all vehicles the rest of the day and on weekends.