Ontario to increase speed limits on several parts of Highway 401, and other major highways
The changes on Highways 401, 403, 406 and 416 begin July 12 and follow a similar move on six sections of highways two years ago, in addition to pilotprojects to test the slightly higher speed limit.
Starting this summer, drivers can push the pedal closer to the metal as Ontario raises speed limits on 10 more sections of major highways.Â
Maximum speeds will rise to 110 km/h from 100 km/h on portions of 400-series highways and on Highway 69 south of Sudbury, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said Wednesday.
The changes on Highways 401, 403, 406 and 416 begin July 12 and follow a similar move on six sections of highways two years ago, in addition to pilot projects to test the slightly higher speed limit.
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“Most of Ontario’s highways were originally designed to safely accommodate speed limits of 110 km/h and the data from our changes in 2022 shows they do just that,” Sarkaria said.
Some of the changes do not take effect until later in the year. The new speed limits will be marked with signs. Â
Many drivers already cruise along the highways at 110 km/h or more as traffic permits, making the change more of a formality.
It had been widely expected that increased speed limits would be adopted along more stretches of highways, which Sarkaria said will bring Ontario closer in line with other provinces.
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Green MPP Aislinn Clancy (Kitchener Centre) said raising speed limits is part of Premier Doug Ford’s “sprawl agenda” that includes building Highway 413 from Milton to Highway 400 and the Bradford Bypass linking Highway 400 to Highway 404.
“I don’t think a change in speed limits is really going to change gridlock,” she told reporters.Â
The highway changes on Highway 401 are mostly outside the GTA, where heavy traffic is the norm.
Those areas are at Tilbury, extending the existing 110 km/h zone east toward Chatham by seven km; from the Highway 35/115 interchange east of Oshawa to Cobourg (35 km); from Colborne to Belleville (44 km); from Belleville to Kingston (66 km); from Highway 16 to Quebec boundary (107 km).
On Highway 403: from Woodstock to Brantford (26 km); Brantford to Hamilton (14.5 km).
On Highway 406 from Thorold to Welland (13 km), Highway 416 from the 401 to Ottawa (70 km), and Highway 69 from Sudbury to the French River (60 km).
Rob Ferguson has been a reporter covering provincial politics in the Queen's Park Bureau of the Toronto Star since 2004 and is in his third term as president of the Ontario Legislative Press Gallery.
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