MONTREAL -- The Quebec government is forging ahead with a fast-tracked project to create a reserved carpool and public transit lane on a busy highway south of Montreal.
Transport Minister Francois Bonnardel announced Thursday afternoon plans for Highway 30, extending it by one lane in either direction to offer priority to taxis, buses and carpoolers.
The project, which is expected to bring traffic relief along the South Shore stretch between Highway 20 in Boucherville past Highway 10 in Brossard, comes as part of the government's economic stimulus measure, Bill 66.
Bill 66 was announced on Wednesday to speed up public works projects and get more Quebecers back to work.
The CAQ had submitted a similar bill, Bill 61, in June, but opposition parties rejected it, saying it could endanger environmental protections, give the government too much power and open these projects up to corruption.
With the newer bill, the environment ministry will continue to oversee all projects, but the evaluation process will be more streamlined than in the past, said officials.
The Highway 30 overhaul will encourage people to commute differently, said Bonnardel.
"A driver in the left or centre lane who sees a taxi passing, a carpooler, a bus, who is going faster than he is, and the time going from point A to point B to get to work is reduced by 15 to 20 minutes every day, he might test it out," said Bonnardel.
Work on the stretch of Highway 30 will start in 2022.
