Traffic may move a little quicker along parts of three Ontario highways today as a two-year pilot project boosting speed limits from 100 km/h to 110 km/h takes effect.
The affected roadways include a 32 kilometre stretch of the Queen Elizabeth Way from St. Catharines/Lincoln to Hamilton, a 102 kilometre stretch of Highway 417 from Ottawa/Gloucester to the Ontario/Quebec border and a 90 kilometre stretch of Highway 402 from London to Sarnia.
The Ministry of Transportation has said that it has chosen the three sites because they all have an average interchange spacing of at least three kilometres and can handle the higher speed limits without any infrastructure upgrades.
As part of the pilot project, additional signage has been installed to make sure drivers are aware of the changed speed limits. Police, however, say that motorists should still exercise a little extra caution and be aware of the potential for drivers who are travelling below the new speed limit.
“While the speed limits have increased there may be drivers out there still going their normal speeds and that will result in higher speed differentials and the requirement for drivers to pay even more attention to the traffic around them,” OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told CP24 on Thursday morning. “We will be out there patrolling the roads and conducting enforcement as well. We just want everyone to understand what the rules are and to obey the speed limits.”
The province will be soliciting feedback on the higher speed limits through an online survey that will be open until Nov. 23.
The Ministry of Transportation will also be hosting public consultations on the higher speed limits.
There are currently six other provinces in Canada with speed limits of 110 km/h or higher on some roadways.
