HOT lanes to start on QEW in Ontario this summer
Drivers without passengers can purchase permits to use lanes
Drivers without passengers can purchase permits to use lanes
The pilot project for high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes is scheduled to start on the QEW between Trafalgar Road in Oakville and Guelph Line in Burlington next summer.
Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca announced the news on Monday morning, explaining that existing High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on the QEW will be converted to HOT lanes, as expected.
People who intend to use the lanes with no passengers can purchase permits to do so. The number of permits available and the cost will be announced in spring.
Drivers with passengers and those with green licence plates can continue to use the lanes without a permit for free.
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The Conservatives and New Democrats both oppose the plan, saying Ontarians don’t want their roadways taxed.
And the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has launched a petition to put a stop to plans to create high occupancy lanes in Ontario.
“Ontarians rely on their cars to get to work every day, and have paid high gasoline taxes for years to build the infrastructure they drive on,” CTF Ontario Director Christine Van Geyn said in a press release. “It’s unfair for Ontarians to pay for twice for this infrastructure.”
In a statement, the Liberals said that in cities that already have HOT lanes – like Minneapolis, Seattle and Atlanta – there is already less congestion in general use lanes. The lanes also promote behaviour changes by encouraging people to carpool, the government said.
This article was originally published on 680 News.
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