HOV lane police presence questioned

Jennifer of Weymouth takes the Southeast Expressway's car-pool lane into Boston every weekday from home. Saves a lot of time, etc., etc.

Over the last several weeks, however, there's been a sudden official concern over speeding at the entrance to the walled-in lane. Signs were posted limiting the speed to 35 miles per hour. And there were two -- count 'em, two -- State Police officers standing outside their cruisers to slow drivers down with that telltale hand motion that is the international sign for "slow down," she wrote.

"They stand so close to the edge that it looks like you could hit them," she wrote of the troopers. "And they continually wave at you to slow it down. . . . I entered at 15 miles per hour, and he was still standing there waving his hand to slow it down."

This, Jennifer wrote, causes huge backups right before the HOV entrance. Jennifer said she saw two vehicles veer out of the entrance lane to avoid hitting vehicles in front of them because of the sudden slowdown.

"As far as I know there have been very little or no incidents at the entrance on either end. Also, is it really necessary to have TWO State Police officers at one entrance. Why all of the sudden is there this great concern about the entrance speed? Who is paying their wages? "

John Lamontagne, spokesman for the Massachusetts Highway Department, explains:

"Over the winter, there was an apparent increase in the number of HOV lane violations," he wrote in an e-mailed reply.

"As you know, the 'zipper lane' requires a minimum of two riders per vehicle, and we received a number of complaints that some drivers were skirting that requirement.

"MassHighway has stepped up enforcement efforts at the entrances of the HOV lane to ensure compliance. As a result, State Police officers have enhanced their presence at the entrances, ejecting possible violators and, when necessary, instructing drivers to slow down. There is also a speed display sign instructing drivers to reduce their speed entering the HOV lane."

Lamontagne said that typically, two troopers are not at the entrance at the same time, though they may be stationed there during rush hour and shift changes.

"Regarding 'who pays their salaries' -- we all do! Technically, those State Police are on detail duty. Eighty percent of that cost is covered by the federal government, 20 percent by MassHighway," he wrote, referring to the Massachusetts Highway Department.

Courtenay of parts unknown had a hot ride on a T bus last week.

The 10:33 a.m. Route 86 bus from Sullivan Square to Cleveland Circle, packed with passengers, had no windows open, no air conditioning, and according to Courtenay, "a driver who could not care less about the inhuman conditions aboard this bus."

"Who paid off the bus manufacturer to not build a suitable bus with air conditioning?" she wrote.

Actually, said T spokesman Joe Pesaturo, the bus did have air conditioning. It just wasn't turned on.

The MBTA received the complaint the same day the Globe did and checked it out the following day, with staff at the Charlestown garage finding the air conditioning working fine.

"But due to the fact that this was a complaint on a new bus, the management staff at the facility requested that the bus be reviewed by the on-site Thermo King representative," the folks who make the air conditioning system, Pesaturo said.

No problem, said Thermo King. The bus was placed back in service and the operator identified.

Pesaturo said the driver is going to be reinstructed about how to turn the system on and possibly disciplined.

The Red Line will be busing passengers between Ashmont and JFK/UMass stations next weekend as part of the line's rehabilitation project. The busing starts at the beginning of service on Saturday and ends the next night. Ashmont, Shawmut, Fields Corner, and Savin Hill passengers can access service along Dorchester Avenue at any bus stop. Buses will make all stops along Dorchester Avenue in both directions. . . . Drivers are advised to stay on highways and avoid local roads in the South End tomorrow as the funeral of Boston firefighter David Middleton is expected to draw hundreds to Concord Baptist Church on Warren Avenue.

The service will begin at 10 a.m. and is expected to last until 2 p.m. Warren Avenue between West Canton and Dartmouth streets, as well as West Brookline Street between Warren Avenue and Tremont Street, will be closed to traffic.

The tunnel under Leverett Circle that takes vehicles from Exit 26 off Interstate 93 and the Sumner Tunnel to Storrow Drive will close 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Saturday morning. Access to Nashua Street/Leverett Circle will remain open.

The Congress Street onramp to I-93 south and the Mass. Pike west will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday to Saturday morning.

Frontage Road north between Southampton Street and Exit 18 off I-93 north will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Saturday morning.

Route 1A near Logan Airport will close 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

The onramp from Congress Street to I-93 in South Boston and Exit 24 (I-93) off the Pike west will close 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Saturday morning.

A section of the Pike west at Exit 25 in South Boston will close 11:59 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday.

The D Street ramp to the Pike west will close 11 p.m. tomorrow to 5 a.m. Tuesday.

The Frontage Road northbound onramp to the Pike west will close 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday to Saturday morning.

The ramp at Exit 20 (Pike west) off I-93 north will close 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday to Saturday morning.

A section of the Pike east at Exit 25 in South Boston will close 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Thursday morning and 11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday to Saturday morning.

The ramp at Exit 24 (I-93) off the Pike east will close 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Saturday morning.

Two to three lanes of I-93 north through downtown and Charlestown will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Saturday morning.

The Essex Street on ramp to I-93 north will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Saturday morning.

Two to three lanes of I-93 south through downtown and South Bay will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Saturday morning.

The Storrow Drive onramp to I-93 south will close 10 p.m. to 5 Thursday to Saturday morning.

The Haymarket onramp to I-93 south and the Callahan Tunnel will close 10 p.m. tomorrow to 5 a.m. Tuesday.

The exit ramp from I-93 south to Government Center and the Callahan Tunnel will close 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday to Saturday morning.

Exit 20B (Pike west/Albany Street) off I-93 south will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday to Saturday morning.

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