The HOT lane is coming to State Route 167 between Renton and Auburn.

The state’s first-ever high-occupancy lane will open on April 26, offering solo drivers a chance to use an existing carpool lane – for a price.

If the freeway isn’t congested, the toll to use the 9-mile-long lane is 50 cents. The cost goes up to several dollars – a maximum of $9 – with the amount of congestion on the freeway.

With HOT lanes, drivers will pay an electronic toll without slowing or stopping. There will be no toll booths. The toll will be collected by the same Good To Go! transponders currently in use on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Carpools, vanpools, transit and motorcycles will continue to use the HOT lanes toll-free.

Next, crews will add a second solid white stripe to separate the HOT lanes from the two general-purpose lanes in each direction of SR 167. Once the double white line is in place, it will be illegal to cross.

To sign up for the state Route 167 “HOT” lanes, go online to wsdot.wa.gov/goodtogo or call 866-936-8246.

This is a pilot program to determine how well variable tolls work.