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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, December 10, 2015 | 14 HOT lanes coming to QEW in Oakville and Burlington by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff A high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane will be tested out on the QEW stretch between Trafalgar Road in Oakville and Guelph Line in Burlington next summer. The Ontario government announced the existing high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes between Oakville and Burlington will be converted to HOT lanes as part of a pilot project to help manage congestion and add another option for drivers. "By providing commuters with more travel choices -- in addition to transit, HOV lanes and now HOT lanes -- we are helping to manage congestion in order to keep the region moving and improve the quality of life for all Ontarians," stated Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca in a press release. The drivers of single-occupant vehicles will have the option to purchase a permit to use the QEW HOT lanes while its use will remain free of charge for vehicles with two or more occupants. The cost has not yet been revealed, however, the Ontario government states information gathered through the pilot will be used to inform long-term planning for future HOT lanes, including new, dedicated HOT lanes with electronic tolling on Hwy. 427, from south of Hwy. 409 to north of Rutherford Road, which High-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes will be tested out on the QEW in Oakville and Burlington next summer. The Ontario government recently announced existing high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes between Oakville and Burlington will be converted to HOT lanes as part of a pilot project to help manage traffic congestion and give drivers more options on the road. | Oakville Beaver file photo will open by 2021. "As they have done in other jurisdictions, such as Minneapolis, Seattle and Atlanta, HOT lanes will help reduce congestion in generaluse lanes and help them move faster, as well as promote behaviour changes by encouraging people to carpool," stated the release. The investment is part of the provincial's infrastructure investment of more than $134 billion over 10 years. Managing congestion is part of the government's plan to build up Ontario. The four-part plan includes investing in people's talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario's history, creating an environment where business thrives and building a secure retirement savings plan. Shortly after the announcement, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) stated it had launched a petition calling on Premier Kathleen Wynne and Del Duca to halt their plans to create the HOT lanes in Ontario. It states the plan lacks detail on the exact costs for commuters. "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," said CTF Ontario Director Christine Van Geyn in a press release. "It's unfair for Ontarians to pay twice for this infrastructure." For more information on the CTF , visit www. taxpayer.com. IN SUPPORT OF Ski & Snowboard event BenefiTting the Oakville trafalgar memorial Hospital Ticket includes day access to slopes, lunch, games, races es & much mo more!