7:30 am on lie (495) westbound from exit 49 to 41. All three lanes are bumper to bumper except the hov lane which looks like a ghost lane. My wife and I see this picture everyday as we ride together to work. Painfully, eventhough we're entitled to use this lane we cannot enter for a 5-mile stretch due to double solid line barrier. What is the rationale of such a barrier? it causes more traffic as it prevents the high occupancy vehicles to enter hov lane and adds more cars to bumper to bumper traffic. It discourages people from car pooling since reduces the effectiveness of the hov lanes. I think the hov lane should be free to enter from anywhere for hov's (as in most states, such as Florida). If the barrier is a "must have" for lie, at least the entrances should be every a mile or two ( not five miles or eight exits apart). I would greatly appreciate a response. I will even appreciate more if you could solution to this problem. Thank you. Dr. alan sezer

- Melville, NY, USA