More high-occupancy lanes coming to highways

The Toronto Star is reporting today that the Ontario government will announce major plans to expand the high-occupancy vehicle lanes.

In early 2007, the McGuinty government will announce a major expansion plan for high-occupancy vehicle lanes on 400-series highways in the GTA.

Transportation Minister Donna Cansfield told the Star that the expansion will not take away existing lanes to make way for lanes exclusively for vehicles with at least two occupants. But she gave no specifics of the plan.

That effectively rules out adding HOV to the 401 atop Toronto, where the highway spans 16 lanes, and is not set to widen, according to the ministry.”We’re anticipating a 33 per cent growth in population by the year 2025,” Cansfield said. “We’re now looking at major (employment and residential) developments in Barrie, Innisfil, East Gwillimbury, Bradford. You’ve got to keep moving these people.”

Cansfield hinted at one possible HOV priority — a multi-year, multi-phase effort to add HOV lanes on Highway 400 all the way up to Barrie. She also wants the expansion to help carpoolers driving to GO train station parking lots.

“You haven’t heard anyone complaining about (HOV). Hell, if it works, why wouldn’t you expand it?” said transit expert Richard Soberman.