Drivers inbound along Interstate 45 to downtown Houston can continue using the high occupancy toll lanes on weekends, at least until the end of the year.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority is continuing a pilot in which the HOT lanes are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, through Dec. 29. The experiment, the latest in a succession of free weekend use tests, initially was supposed to end Sunday. Officials said the extension gives them a better chance to gauge use and weigh permanent options for opening the lanes on weekends.

Unlike during the week when the lanes are strictly for carpools, buses and toll-paying solo drivers at some times, there are no occupancy requirements or cost for the free weekend use. The lanes will be available inbound-only, and not flip as they typically do to allow for outbound traffic in the afternoon.

The weekend hours apply only to the portions of I-45 north and south of downtown Houston. Metro CEO Tom Lambert said the agency considered opening the lane on Interstate 69 southwest of the central business district, but said the ongoing construction at Loop 610 and I-69 made that impractical.

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Opening the HOT lanes for night and weekend use has been a passion project for businessman and perennial city council candidate Michael “Griff” Griffin. In the past, he has argued that opening the lanes would make downtown a more attractive destination for the some suburban residents, helping not only visitors but the businesses in the central district.

“People who pay the (1 percent Metro sales) tax need to feel they are getting some for it,” Griffin said. “A lot of them don’t and this is something we can do to give them at least a little something to show for it.”

Griffin last week implored officials to extend the pilot and put some advertising dollars toward telling drivers about the weekend option. He said past attempts to open the lanes to help with traffic to and from Galveston or The Woodlands have suffered — and largely failed to meet expectations — because Metro did not advertise the new hours.

“You have to let the people know,” Griffin said, holding a sign he had made up to advertise the lanes are open.

dug.begley@chron.com