https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/09/24/santa-monica-freeway-disaster-changed-state-policy-roadshow/

Q: I have always been under the impression that creation of a new carpool lane meant actual new pavement and not the conversion of an existing general traffic lane.

Assuming my impression is correct, why doesn’t the same prohibition apply to toll lane creation? At least between Highway 4 and Highway 242 on Interstate 680 south, the new toll lane is the old HOV lane. It steals time from me that I could have freely used the lane as a single driver.